Honoring the Essence of Craft Villages – Connecting Trade Opportunities

Vietnam currently has over 5,400 craft villages, employing millions of workers who are diligently preserving the essence of traditional craftsmanship. These craft villages not only safeguard the nation’s cultural values but also make significant contributions to rural economic development, job creation, and export promotion. Amidst the current fluctuations in the global economy, preserving and developing traditional craft villages not only helps sustain time-honored cultural values but also plays a vital role in boosting local economies, creating employment, and improving incomes for local residents.

However, the production and business operations in many craft villages and handicraft communities still face numerous difficulties and challenges due to both subjective and objective causes. These include a lack of capital and production space, worsening environmental pollution, and small, fragmented production scales. In addition, the tourism potential of craft villages has not been properly recognized; tourism activities mainly focus on visiting and learning about the craft itself, without fully showcasing other cultural aspects of these traditional villages. There are few tourism products capable of retaining visitors, leading to low revenue from tourism. Furthermore, the application of digital technology in production, promotion, and product distribution remains slow and fails to keep pace with current consumption trends.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony at the 21st Vietnam Craft Village Fair

To honor and promote the sustainable development of traditional craft villages and craft streets, encourage creativity, improve product quality, and promote OCOP (One Commune One Product) goods, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is organizing the 21st Vietnam Craft Village Fair – 2025, taking place from October 10 to 14, 2025, at the Agricultural Exhibition Center, 489 Hoàng Quốc Việt Street, Hanoi. The fair features 150 booths and over 1,000 m² of OCOP product display space, gathering hundreds of craft villages, cooperatives, enterprises, and artisans from across the country. A wide range of exquisite handicrafts, agricultural specialties, and outstanding OCOP products are showcased, along with a rich program of activities such as thematic seminars, skill demonstrations, and cultural–culinary–tourism promotion events.

Within the Hanoi craft village space, visitors can witness the sophisticated production processes from some of the city’s most renowned villages, such as Phú Vinh rattan and bamboo weaving, Chuông conical hats (Thanh Oai), and Xuân La tò he figurines (Phú Xuyên). These handicrafts not only reflect the artisans’ masterful skills but also embody profound cultural values, reviving the essence of ancient crafts.

According to Nguyễn Đình Hoa, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development:
“Hanoi is home to numerous traditional crafts handed down from our ancestors, many of which are highly valuable. The historical, cultural, and national identities are deeply embedded in these villages. Alongside the long-standing traditions, many new craft villages are also thriving today. Each Hanoi craft village bears its own unique identity, producing distinctive and sophisticated items that embody the cultural essence of the nation. The products are diverse, well-designed, and of good quality. Some product groups have strong competitive advantages in both domestic and international markets, such as textiles, ceramics, embroidery, traditional lace, and wooden furniture for daily use and construction.”

Participating in the 21st Craft Village Fair, artisan Lê Văn Tuy from Chuông conical hat village, Thanh Oai District, Hanoi, brought a collection of distinctive traditional conical hats. Each Chuông hat, crafted from delicate palm leaves and shaped by the artisan’s skillful hands and patient heart, symbolizes the beauty of Vietnamese women of old – graceful, refined, and enduring. Artisan Tuy shared that the Chuông conical hat is not merely a tool for sun and rain protection, but a cultural artifact that encapsulates the meticulousness and dexterity of its maker in every stitch and thread. Despite modern life’s many changes, the people of Chuông village continue to preserve their craft as they preserve the soul of their homeland, passing it down to younger generations to ensure the tradition never fades.

Artisan Lê Văn Tuy from Chuông Village, Thanh Oai District, Hanoi, has devoted his life to the Chuông conical hat craft – one of the capital’s most renowned traditional trades.

Participating in the Craft Village Fair, Mr. Tuy considered it a valuable opportunity to promote his products, connect with partners, and expand market access. He hopes that through trade promotion activities, Chuông conical hats will not only find a broader domestic market but also reach international consumers, helping to honor Hanoi’s traditional craft heritage.

Artisan Đặng Văn Hậu from Xuân La tò he figurine village, Phượng Dực Commune, shared:
“At this event, we hope to help craft and fine-art villages, as well as artisans, gain more opportunities to showcase and promote their finest and most beautifully designed products.”

Tò he figurines are made from edible rice powder and are a traditional Vietnamese folk toy. Artisan Hậu shapes them into creative and lively forms, turning each piece into a small ‘symphony’ of folk art

To encourage the development of craft and rural industries, Hanoi has issued various programs, plans, and policies in recent years, such as promoting the export of craft village products; supporting the preservation and development of crafts and craft villages; integrating craft village development with tourism; preserving and enhancing the cultural heritage of traditional villages; and encouraging the establishment of specialized agricultural production zones and urban craft villages.

According to the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment, the city has implemented multiple support policies to facilitate the growth of rural enterprises and household businesses. It has also approved and delegated numerous projects for craft village development to relevant departments and local authorities. During the 2022–2025 period, Hanoi focuses on developing OCOP products in traditional craft villages, restructuring the OCOP program to accelerate agricultural and rural industrialization and modernization. At the same time, the city promotes value chain–based production linked with tourism, services, and ecological protection. Several key initiatives are being implemented, including strengthening trade promotion for craft village products, supporting brand identity design, and developing craft village websites.

Furthermore, Hanoi integrates craft village conservation and development with tourism programs to attract both domestic and international visitors. According to Deputy Director Nguyễn Đình Hoa, “It is essential to attract tourists to craft villages, and the city will implement measures to support artisans. Through each handmade product, one can see the imprint of the natural and social environment blended with the artisan’s intellect and soul—reflecting the creativity of the entire community. As Hanoi continues to develop, the traditional cultural values of its craft villages will be preserved and passed down to future generations.”

Source: Vietnam Business Forum