In the quiet village of Nam Cao - now part of Le Loi Commune, Hung Yen province - the rhythmic clack of looms echoes across centuries. Here, 70-year-old Nguyen Dinh Dai is more than a master artisan. He is the keeper of a 400-year-old legacy and the owner of Vietnam’s largest collection of duoi silk fabric.

For Dai and fellow weavers, preserving this craft isn’t merely about livelihood - it’s about honoring cultural identity and safeguarding national heritage.

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Nam Cao weaving has stood for over 400 years as a cultural asset of the community.

A national treasure by the river

Nam Cao village, nestled by a meandering river, is the birthplace of handwoven duoi silk, made from the core filaments of mulberry silkworm cocoons. This unique fiber - rich in natural protein - is soft, breathable, and eco-friendly.

Through generations, Nam Cao artisans have honed the craft to produce fabrics with a subtle texture and earthy luster, prized for their thermoregulation - cool in summer, warm in winter.

In November 2023, Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism officially designated Nam Cao weaving as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, sparking hopes of revival for a village once on the brink of losing its soul.

Decline and resilience

Nam Cao silk enjoyed its golden era in the early 20th century. It gained official craft village recognition in 2003, 2009, and 2011. Yet, smuggled exports and industrial competition led to a severe downturn. In 2019, the village lost its official status due to inactivity.

But the tradition lived on through sheer grit. Today, Nam Cao sustains two enterprises, one cooperative, and three households, employing around 195 people with a steady income of USD 200–320 per month.

The man who refused to give up

Locals unanimously name Nguyen Dinh Dai as the soul of Nam Cao weaving. Born into the trade, he inherited the craft from his father, Nguyen Dinh Ban, who pioneered the transition from manual looms to semi-mechanical machines, boosting productivity and sparking a wave of prosperity.

Despite modernization, Dai has preserved every manual step - from cocoon boiling and thread pulling to loom weaving and natural dyeing. Each household handles a different stage, keeping the village interconnected and uniquely identifiable.

"Nam Cao silk is smooth, breathable, and gentle on the skin,” he explains. “Its natural fibers regulate temperature, making it perfect for all seasons. No other material feels quite like it.”

A personal collection turned national legacy

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Duoi silk threads being washed and sun-dried in Dai’s courtyard.

Driven by his deep love for the craft, Dai has amassed the largest collection of duoi silk patterns in the country. Many weavers recognize his work simply by the fabric’s structure and motif.

His fabrics are exported to France, Japan, South Korea, Laos, and have had a steady market in Thailand for over 20 years.

Despite global success, Dai admits to sleepless nights worrying about the craft’s future. “There were years when the village fell silent - no spinning, no looms. People left, orders stopped. It felt like the end.”

The COVID-19 pandemic delivered another blow, forcing many to abandon the trade. But Dai persisted. He revamped designs, experimented with dyes, sought new markets, and even traveled abroad to learn techniques for enhancing fabric quality.

“Only when people can make a living from the craft will the village survive,” he says.

The next generation steps in

Dai’s greatest joy? Seeing the next generation carry the flame.

Do Thi Tam, his daughter-in-law, is a passionate advocate for Nam Cao silk. Initially hesitant, she fell in love with the fabric’s rustic elegance the moment she wore her first duoi silk blouse.

“It made me feel confident and different. The more I learned, the more I realized how precious this craft is. Losing it would be heartbreaking,” she says.

Tam now leads efforts to bring Nam Cao silk to new audiences, introducing limited-edition lines with up to 16 handcrafted stages - sought after for ao dai, ceremonial wear, and diplomatic gifts.

She also envisions a modern fashion brand rooted in natural duoi silk, blending Vietnamese heritage with contemporary aesthetics to appeal to youth and international buyers alike.

Toward a sustainable cultural revival

Ha The Cong, Head of Culture and Society for Le Loi Commune, shared future plans: relocating cooperatives to create a cultural eco-tourism hub, where visitors can experience cocoon pulling, weaving, and herbal dyeing firsthand.

The revival strategy focuses on three pillars:

Building a Nam Cao silk brand with standardized processes and strong product identity
Integrating the craft with cultural tourism and experiential travel
Supporting artisans with equipment upgrades without compromising tradition, and training youth to inherit both the skill and the spirit

These efforts lay a sustainable foundation for Nam Cao’s renaissance, bringing centuries-old craftsmanship into the 21st century.

To Nguyen Dinh Dai, duoi silk is not just fabric - it is the soul of his homeland. It carries the scent of boiled cocoons, the hum of looms, and the resilience of a people who refuse to forget their roots.

“I’ll stop worrying about the craft,” he says with a laugh, “only when I stop breathing.”

Today, Nam Cao’s looms are spinning once more, weaving not just fabric, but stories - of tradition, identity, and the quiet strength of Vietnamese artisans.

Tinh Le