Khmer weaving village keeps craft alive

January 05, 2019 - 09:00

Traditional weaving skills of the Khmer ethnic minority group have been handed down at an Embroidery Weaving Co-operative in Văn Giáo handicraft village, in the southern province of An Giang.

Pass it on: Elderly people have passed on their skills and experience to younger generations.
Viet Nam News

Trọng Đạt

Traditional weaving skills of the Khmer ethnic minority group have been handed down at an Embroidery Weaving Co-operative in Văn Giáo handicraft village, in the southern province of An Giang.

Hard labour: Mrs Néang Sóc Then weaves three traditional long dresses each month and sells them for VNĐ1.2 million (US$52) each. She earns a steady income from the garments.
Many uses: Craftspeople weave three layers of silk with three different colours to fashion scarfs, long skirts, paintings and table cloths.

The co-operative was set up in 2002, aiming to preserve local traditional handicraft. The co-operative’s products range in design, colour and decorative patterns to suit customers in Việt Nam and foreigners.

Detailed patterns: Products made by Văn Giáo’s artisans are intricate.
Dipping it: The dyeing stage is the most important in the long process of making a complete product.

The products have also been exported to Cambodia, with which the province shares a 100km border.

Nice threads: Local cloth is famed for its vibrant colours.
Handmade: Threads are carefully dyed and mixed before being woven into items.

The village now hosts over 70 families keeping the handicrafts alive, with 130 workers, many of whom are experts.

Bright: Local artisans use natural materials to colour the threads, which make the cloth shiny and smooth.

Hand-woven embroidery made by locals is treasured by many. — VNS

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