Hanoi (VNA) - By combining centuries-old craftsmanship with contemporary design, Hanoi’s traditional craft villages are finding new ways to keep their cultural heritage relevant and competitive in modern life.
From Bat Trang to Van Phuc, Hanoi’s craft villages are embracing contemporary design to refresh traditional products without compromising their heritage. By combining time-honoured craftsmanship with modern aesthetics, artisans are creating products that appeal to changing consumer tastes and international markets.
Linking craft villages with creative designers
Hanoi is home to more than 1,350 craft villages and villages with traditional trades, the largest concentration in Vietnam. From ceramics, silk and lacquerware to rattan weaving, mother-of-pearl inlay and embroidery, these products embody both refined craftsmanship and the rich cultural heritage of the thousand-year-old capital of Thang Long.
However, growing competition and rapidly changing consumer preferences have created pressure for innovation. While many handicraft products boast high quality and skilled workmanship, some struggle with outdated designs, limited functionality, and weak brand identity. In the creative economy, products must not only be durable and aesthetically appealing but also meet practical needs and tell compelling cultural stories.
According to Bui Thi Thanh Huong, Editor-in-Chief of Architecture Magazine under the Vietnam Association of Architects, traditional knowledge is gradually fading in some craft villages. Artisans often lack adequate recognition and compensation, while their products are vulnerable to mass imitation. The challenge, she said, is ensuring that craft heritage can participate in contemporary life in a fair and sustainable manner while preserving a distinctive identity.
Against this backdrop, closer cooperation between craft villages and creative designers is increasingly seen as a promising solution. Combining traditional craftsmanship with modern design thinking can enhance product value and broaden market access, particularly among young consumers and international buyers.
A number of initiatives have been proposed to help traditional craft village products become more deeply integrated into Hanoi’s cultural industries. Hanoi plans to strengthen links between craft villages and the design community while promoting outstanding handicrafts through the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2026. The municipal Department of Culture and Sports is expected to serve as a bridge in mobilising resources and supporting cultural initiatives that contribute to the development of craft villages and the city’s cultural industries.
Artisans and designers working together
The trend of collaboration between artisans and designers is already gaining momentum in several craft villages in Hanoi, with encouraging results. Bat Trang pottery village and Van Phuc silk village were the first in Hanoi to join the World Crafts Cities network.
In late 2024, Bat Trang commune established a creative design centre to promote OCOP products, craft villages, and tourism products, towards building a value chain linking design, production and marketing while preserving traditional cultural values. Many Bat Trang pottery products now feature minimalist designs suited to modern living spaces while retaining traditional glasing and firing techniques, helping them gain popularity domestically and internationally.
Van Phuc silk has also been revitalised through contemporary fashion applications. Once associated mainly with traditional attire, the fabric is now featured in collections targeting young consumers, bringing the village’s products closer to everyday life and tourists.
Creative design is also opening new opportunities through experiential tourism and community creative spaces. Experts believe Hanoi’s craft villages can become attractive cultural destinations by combining handicraft production with live demonstrations, workshops and heritage storytelling. Such an approach aligns with the city’s strategy of developing cultural and creative industries based on traditional cultural resources.
However, insiders said Hanoi needs clearer frameworks that protect artisans’ interests, respect traditional values and ensure fairness in the creative process.
Expanding creative hubs and partnerships involving craft villages, universities, research institutes, and design firms would also provide more opportunities for artisans and young creators to exchange ideas and work together. At the same time, the promotion of handicrafts should become more professional, highlighting the cultural stories, people and craftsmanship behind each product.
Most recently, Chuyen My mother-of-pearl and lacquerware village and Son Dong sculpture and lacquer craft village joined the World Crafts Cities network, following Bat Trang and Van Phuc. According to Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Xuan Luu, the recognition reflects the cultural value, craftsmanship and creativity of Vietnam’s traditional craft villages.
Hanoi will continue supporting heritage preservation, design innovation, brand development, workforce training, and competitiveness enhancement for handicraft products, he said./.
