1. Find a prestigious place to buy real brocade

When you want to buy quality brocade, you should buy at reputable addresses that sell brocade or brocade villages. You can also go to the old handicraft villages in Sa Pa such as Ta Phin and Lao Chai villages ... These villages all have embroidery households and sell brocades at home. Or you can choose directly at the shop in Sa Pa town or at the Bac Ha market where regular trading activities are traditional, regularity of ethnic minorities such as Hmong, Knife. In Sa Pa, besides the big shops selling brocades, there is Thac Bac road, which is planned by the state for ethnic people to sell brocade, you can also buy brocade of relatives in this street. However, ethnic people sometimes sell fake brocade items. So you need to pay attention when buying to avoid buying fake brocade.

Thac Bac Quarter is planned for ethnic people to sell brocades made by themselves

2. Select the real brocade with the senses

Hand touch:

Real brocade is usually made of linen fabric by the people themselves. The raw brocade fabric, rough hand, on the fabric surface sometimes have a little error. For imitation brocade, it is usually woven by machine, the surface is smooth, the yarns are even, without errors.

Look with eyes:

The color of real brocade is usually not colored when washed, does not fade with time. However, the dark indigo dyed fabric will fade in the first 2-3 washes. The color of the brocade is often quite dark, it seems old and not so bright and eye-catching as brocade weaving machines. Brocade patterns are often made by embroidery silk, drawing wax, weaving with looms or grafting colors. Embroidery patterns are not quite the same, even errors. Brocade patterns are mainly in the form of a plump bird and a flower in each small, balanced square. The contours of embroidery patterns or drawing of beeswax are often ramshackle a bit, rough, slightly rough with no gloss and smoothness as when embroidery. With brocade imitation, there are evenly embroidered motifs, the same shape, more vibrant colors.

Brocade made by hand embroidery (photo: Nguyen Thuy)

Brocade imitation textile by machine (photo: Collectibles)

With the above experience, I hope you will find great items to have a meaningful souvenir for relatives and friends.

Nguyen Thuy