Text written by Golden Thread Silks
See our selection of Vietnamese Silks
Golden Thread Silks specializes in handloomed silk made in Vietnam,
Cambodia and Laos. We are dedicated to supporting the exceptional weaving
and dying traditions of small textile enterprises throughout Southeast
Asia. Because these unique textiles are made by hand, they will have
variations and irregularities. These are not flaws but an integral part
of the silk and contribute to its beauty and rare quality. We hope that
you find this fabric as intriguing and inspiring as we have.
OUR VIETNAMESE FABRIC
 Vietnam has a centuries-old tradition of silk weaving and embroidery.
Golden Thread Silks carries Vietnamese fabrics woven in villages that
have been producing silks for nearly a thousand years. These textiles
are made by small family weaving enterprises using traditional methods
of thread spinning, weaving and dyeing. Some of our favorite fabric is
woven on old Jacquard looms to which small electric motors have been
added. The jacquard loom, originally introduced by the French, controls
individual warp threads through a system of punched cards. Fabric produced
on these old looms in generally 33"-36" wide. Dyeing is done by hand
in small batches.
Each jacquard pattern has its own story and place in Vietnamese culture. For
example, the design known as "Old Money", featuring a stylized ancient
Vietnamese coin, is at least one hundred years old and is often seen
in old photos of robes worn by Mandarin officials in the colonial era.
The "Broche" features Chinese characters for "longevity" and "double
happiness", as well as bamboo (flexibility) and apricot blossom (one
of the four noble flowers); this pattern is nearly a century old. "Wine
Flask and Poetry Bag," which alternates these two elements in a repeating
diamond pattern, evokes elements of a poem by a famous 18th century Vietnamese
women poet. "Birdcage and Lantern" weaves the symbols associated with
happiness and good fortune in lunar new year and mid-autumn celebrations.
We have recently discovered Ebony satin, a lustrous silk that s handwoven
in southern Vietnam and naturally dyed using the pods of the ebony fruit.
This all-natural fabric has a remarkable hand, soft and supple, almost
like fine leather. The natural dye is colorfast, and does not run or
fade. The fabric dates back at least a century, but knowledge of its
production was all but lost during the war. Weaving of ebony satin was
revitalized only a few years ago by the designer Vo Viet Chung. We are
pleased to offer this beautiful fabric, an important piece of Vietnam's
silk weaving history.
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