Hanoi Craft Villages: Preserving Tradition, Driving Growth

Hanoi currently has 1,350 craft villages and trade villages, of which 337 traditional crafts have been officially recognized. These craft villages have played a significant role in increasing incomes and creating employment opportunities for thousands of workers. The development of craft villages not only helps preserve traditional identity but also acts as a driving force for building new rural areas. Each year, these craft villages generate revenues exceeding VND24 trillion, with the average worker earning more than VND7 million per month.Preserving culture and supporting livelihoods

Many students and young visitors are interested in Chuong Village conical hats

Bat Trang is one of Vietnam’s most renowned ceramic craft villages. According to Pham Minh Khoi, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Bat Trang Commune, Hanoi, the commune’s main source of income is ceramic production and trade, with an annual value exceeding VND2 trillion. Each day, 3,000 to 5,000 workers from other areas come to work in Bat Trang. The average per capita income reaches nearly VND90 million per year, above the national average for craft villages. Factory workers earn between VND11-15 million per month, while artisans with over 20 years of experience earn starting from VND50 million per month.

Tran Duc Tan, Chairman of the Board and Director of Tan Thinh Ceramic Production and Trading Cooperative, confirmed that factory workers earn between VND11-15 million per month, while artisans with over 20 years of experience can earn more than VND50 million monthly. Craft villages, where inherent potential, trade secrets, and unique products come together, are critical to business success. They need greater support and favorable conditions to develop into thriving enterprises. Beyond increasing incomes, traditional craft villages also focus on promoting their products to highlight their value. At Hong Son embroidery village in Hanoi, efforts to promote traditional silk weaving have expanded both domestically and internationally. Artisan Phan Thi Thuan shared: “What I value most is not only creating beautiful silk fabrics but also preserving the soul of my homeland’s weaving craft, so younger generations can have jobs here. When people have stable incomes from the craft, the village will truly be sustainable, and rural life will flourish and become happier.”

Born into a family with four generations of weavers and with a passion for silk raising and weaving, artisan Thuan has created unique fabrics. Her creativity has not only left a distinctive mark on Phung Xa silk but also contributed to bringing Vietnamese silk to demanding global markets.

A visitor explores the ancient Lo Bau kiln site in Bat Trang commune

As a result, many local workers have gained stable employment, and incomes have gradually improved. Thuan’s success has strongly inspired local people to continue pursuing their traditional craft. Not only a repository of traditional cultural essence, Hanoi’s long-standing craft villages such as Bat Trang ceramics, Phung Xa silk, Van Phuc silk, Kieu Ky gold-leaf craft, Phu Vinh bamboo and rattan weaving, or Ha Thai lacquerware have also found ways to capitalize on strengths, becoming attractive shopping and experiential destinations for domestic and foreign tourists thanks to the creativity and skillful hands of artisans.

Developing craft villages

According to the Hanoi Coordination Office of the New Rural Development Program, in recent years, many proposals for preserving and developing craft villages have been submitted. Local Party Committees and authorities also regard this as the path for the capital’s craft villages to maximize their potential and affirm their brands in both domestic and international markets. Therefore, in all economic and social development strategies, Hanoi attaches great importance to craft village development. The city defines craft village economy not only as an economic task but also as a responsibility to preserve traditional cultural values and a driving force in building new rural areas.

From practical experience, Hanoi has compiled a list of 175 traditional craft heritages that need preservation. Among them, 8 traditional crafts have been included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage, while 20 others are on Hanoi’s priority preservation list until 2025. The city has also recognized 7 tourism destinations linked with craft villages.

Warehouse at Hoang Minh pottery workshop

The success of traditional craft villages forms an important foundation for Hanoi to continue affirming its position as the country’s largest craft village hub while realizing its goal of building new rural areas. In the coming time, the city will continue to support artisans, skilled workers, and economic actors, making craft villages not only places to preserve cultural essence but also engines of sustainable economic development, contributing to building a wealthier, more civilized, and modern capital.

Hanoi will develop craft villages by linking crafts with tourism and education to restore, preserve, and create multi-dimensional value. Polluting villages will be relocated to industrial zones to allow expansion while meeting environmental standards, alongside continued implementation of central and local policies.

As part of the craft village economy development strategy, which aims to build strong internal resources for new rural development, Hanoi targets that by the end of 2025 at least two more of its craft villages will join the “World Creative Craft Cities” network. To achieve this goal, Hanoi will strengthen trade promotion both domestically and internationally, regularly organizing contests, fairs, and festivals for craft products, and participating in national and international events to introduce and promote handicrafts and craft villages to consumers at home and abroad.

By Dinh Bao, Vietnam Business Forum