Mong girls in Van Ho in their traditional colourful costumes. The traditional costume of the Mong women in Van Ho used to be made of linen fabric produced from flax fibres. Although the cultivation of flax plants and weaving fabric from flax fibre have gradually fallen into near-oblivion, a small number of households in Van Ho still preserve this traditional craft. Van Ho is a newly established district in the northwestern province of Son La. It was divided from Moc Chau district in 2013. The district is home to six ethnic groups – Kinh (10 percent of the local population), Thai (40 percent), Muong (20 percent), Dao (7.5 percent), Mong (22.5 percent) and Tay (0.01 percent). (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
In Long Luong and Pa Co communes in Van Ho where over 85 percent of the population is Mong, women still keep the tradition of making, embroidering and using the traditional costume in their daily life. However, only some families still practice the weaving of linen fabric in the traditional way using bamboo or wood looms. Linen weaving plays an important role in the life of the Mong. Weaving skills and techniques are handed down from mother to daughter. As weaving is considered a must-have skill for all girls, Mong women often teach their daughters how to grow flax and weave linen at a very young age, maybe at five or six). (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Making linen fabric from flax fibre requires a lot of work with all of the stages being done manually. There are a lot of things to do to turn flax seeds into linen fabrics. The third lunar month is the time for sowing flax seeds. Mong people have learned from experience that to ensure the quality of fibres, the harvest should be carried out about 70 days from the date of seed sowing. Flax plants are cut just above the soil surface and all leaves are removed. The stems are then bundled together into sheaves, called beets, and left to dry in the sun for up to two weeks. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
After drying flax stems, Mong women will separate the fibres from the woody part of the stem stalks, and from each other. Separating flax fibres from the woody part of the stem stalks, and from each other, requires skill. If not done well, the fibres are not even, making it difficult to spin. The spun fibres would also be not firm enough. After separation, the flax strands are tied in bundles to be put into a large stone mortar and pounded by a long wooden pestle until the fibres are soft and can be bent easily. The fibres are then soaked overnight before spinning. After this step, the fibres are ready for connection. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
A Mong woman is connecting flax fibres. Connecting flax fibres by hand is a time-consuming job that requires extreme meticulousness. That is the reason why Mong women and girls are seen carrying bundles of flax fibres around their waist and combining multiple long linen fibres whenever they are free. The fibres are joined end to end and then twisted and wound into fibre cakes. Due to the meticulous and time-consuming work, only a few families still practice this traditional craft. Linen weaving plays an important role in the life of the Mong. Weaving skills and techniques are handed down from mother to daughter. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Sung Thi Mai, a Mong woman in Pa Co commune, is hanging flax fibres on a wooden spinning wheel to spin. Before spinning, the fibre cakes should be soaked in water for 15 to 20 minutes to make the fibres soft and flexible and prevent them from breaking. To make round and twisted threads, Mong women use a traditional spinning wheel. To collect hanks of flax fibres, each weighing up to two kilograms, for bleaching Mong women have to use another “spinning” tool. To spin good fibres, the step of separating flax fibres from the woody part of the stem stalks, and each other, is very important. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
From plants such as flax and indigo, and materials like beeswax, that are readily available in their daily life, Mong ethnic people have created the craft of weaving linen cloth. They started with simple techniques and rudimentary tools, which are then gradually improved into the current interesting and unique weaving art. Linen weaving plays an important role in the life of the Mong. Weaving skills and techniques are handed down from mother to daughter. As weaving is considered a must-have skill for all girls, Mong women often teach their daughters how to grow flax and weave linen at a very young age, maybe at five or six. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
One end of the flax fibre is connected to a bamboo frame with many holes, and the other end is tied to the spindle. Before spinning, the fibre cakes should be soaked in water for 15 to 20 minutes to make the fibres soft and flexible and prevent them from breaking. To make round and twisted threads, Mong women use a traditional spinning wheel. The cultivation of flax plants and weaving fabric from flax fibre has gradually fallen into near-oblivion, with only a few households in places like Van Ho still preserving the traditional craft. The techniques have been passed down from generation to generation, from grandmothers or mothers to granddaughters and daughters. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Cultivating flax plants is not difficult, but it takes a lot of work and time to make a piece of linen cloth, with all of the stages being done manually. If a family has a field of flax plants, one can know that that family has a woman who is diligent, hard-working and dexterous. To be able to make linen cloth in the traditional way, a girl has to learn the work early, at around five or six years old. About six metres of fabric are needed to make a traditional women’s skirt or a men’s shirt or a pair of men’s trousers. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Sung Thi Mai, a Mong woman in Pa Co commune, Van Ho district, has been making linen cloth for over half a century. The traditional costume of the Mong women in Van Ho used to be made of linen fabric produced from flax fibres. Although the cultivation of flax plants and weaving fabric from flax fibre have gradually fallen into oblivion, some households in Van Ho still preserve this traditional craft. In Pa Co commune, where over 85 percent of the population is Mong, a number of women still keep the tradition of making, embroidering and using the traditional costume in their daily life. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Sung Thi Mai cannot remember how many metres of linen fabric she has made. She is among a small number of Mong women who still follow the tradition of linen making and weaving. Linen weaving plays an important role in the life of the Mong. Weaving skills and techniques are handed down from mother to daughter. As weaving is considered a must-have skill for all girls, Mong women often teach their daughters how to grow flax and weave linen from a very young age, maybe five or six. The traditional costume of the Mong women in Van Ho used to be made of linen fabric produced from flax fibres. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Linen fabric is an indispensable part of the life of the Mong ethnic group. It has a strong attachment to the spiritual life of the Mong people. They believe that linen fabric connects people to their ancestors. If they do not wear linen clothes, the dead will not be recognised by their ancestors in the afterlife. Furthermore, linen threads are believed to lead the way for the dead to be reincarnated. Therefore, linen weaving used to play an important role in the life of the Mong. Weaving skills and techniques are handed down from mother to daughter. As weaving was considered a must-have skill for all girls, Mong women often taught their daughters how to grow flax and weave linen from a very young age, maybe at five or six. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
After spinning, flax yarn is placed onto shuttles. Making linen fabric from flax fibre requires a lot of work and great patience with all of the stages being done manually. From plants such as flax, indigo, and materials like beeswax that are readily available in their daily life, Mong ethnic people have created the craft of weaving linen cloth. They started with simple techniques and rudimentary tools, which were then gradually improved into the current interesting and unique weaving art. Linen weaving plays an important role in the life of the Mong. However, only a few people want to continue practising the craft now. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Spun flax fibres are hung on frames to prevent tangling. Cultivating flax plants is not difficult, but it takes a lot of work and time to make a piece of linen cloth, with all of the stages being done manually. If a family has a field of flax plants, one can know that that family has a woman who is diligent, hard-working and dexterous. To be able to make linen cloth traditionally, a girl has to start learning from the age of five or six years old. Linen weaving plays an important role in the life of the Mong. However, not many people want to continue practising their craft now. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The flax yarn should be put in the sun for several days to become completely dry before it can be used for weaving. Growing flax for making the traditional costumes is a special cultural feature of the Mong. According to Mong customs, a groom-to-be has to bring two sets of linen clothes as presents for his future in-laws to thank them for raising the bride. When a Mong man dies, he will be dressed in linen clothes as the Mong people believe flax fibres can lead the spirits of the dead persons back to their ancestors and help them reincarnate as humans. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
A weaving loom of the Mong. To set up a back strap rectangular handloom, a Mong weaver unties the fibres from the pegs on the ground and through a loom comb, known as a heddle, thread 780 warp threads to make a linen cloth with the width of 50 centimetres or 216 warp threads to make a linen cloth of 35 centimetres wide. Every warp thread must go through the heddle. Then, she rolls up the ends of the warp threads on a round wooden bar with two X-shaped ends to make a warp beam. While doing this, she uses a bamboo stick to separate the threads. Later the prepared heddle and warp beam are strung onto a handloom with its front part leaned against the house pillar. The heddle of the loom is held in one frame, called the shaft, which is connected to two vertical planks of the loom via two pull cords. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Sung Y Chai, a Mong woman in Pa Co commune, is working on the loom. According to Chai, weaving is usually done by older women, as they have more time at home, and more experience in handling broken or thin threads. Given the importance of linen fabric to the Mong, linen weaving used to play an important role in the life of the Mong. Weaving skills and techniques are handed down from mother to daughter. As weaving was considered a must-have skill for all girls, Mong women often taught their daughters how to grow flax and weave linen from a very young age, usually five or six years old. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
It usually takes Sung Y Chai one or two months to weave a 6m long sheet of linen cloth, as she is busy with other housework and only weaves during her spare time. According to Chai, weaving is usually done by older women, as they have more time at home, and more experience in handling broken or thin threads. Given the importance of linen fabric to the Mong, linen weaving used to play an important role in the life of the Mong. In Pa Co commune, where over 85 percent of the population is Mong, the women still keep the tradition of making, embroidering and using the traditional costume in their daily life. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
It can take up to a year to make a sheet of linen cloth as Mong women can not spend all their time completing each stage of the process from separating flax fibre to weaving. They often do the work during their spare time. Meanwhile, there are a lot of things to do to turn flax seeds into linen fabrics. From plants such as flax, indigo, and materials like beeswax that are readily available in their daily life, Mong ethnic people have created the craft of weaving linen cloth. They started with simple techniques and rudimentary tools, which were then gradually improved into the current interesting and unique weaving art. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
When ceasing weaving halfway, Sung Y Chai ties up the loom to a house pillar neatly. Whenever she has some free time, she will roll it out and continue to weave. It usually takes Chai between one and two months to weave a 6m long sheet of linen cloth, as she is busy with other housework and only weaves during her spare time. According to Chai, weaving is usually done by older women, as they have more time at home, and more experience in handling broken or thin threads. It could take as long as one year to make a sheet of linen cloth as Mong women do not spend all their time completing each stage of the process from separating flax fibre to weaving. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Chai holds a sheet of linen cloth that she has just completed weaving. She said the next step is to crush the cloth to soften it, which is quite a hard job. The sheet of cloth is placed under a wood slab that is one metre long and as wide as the cloth, and above a log. Chai will stand on the plank and roll the slab back and forth over onto the cloth until it becomes soft and smooth. Then the sheet of fabric will be dipped in water mixed with tembusu tree ash for whitening, and then washed to remove the ash and spread out on an area of grassland to dry. This process is repeated three to four times a day for four to five consecutive days until the cloth becomes white. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
It is a pity that on the day we visit Chai’s house, she cannot arrange a time to demonstrate the cloth “crushing” stage. In Van Ho commune, most families still practising the traditional linen making and weaving craft only engage in certain stages, not the entire process. It could take as long as one year to make a sheet of linen cloth because Mong women cannot spend all their time completing each stage of the process from separating flax fibre to weaving. They often do the work during their spare time. Meanwhile, there are a lot of things to do to turn flax seeds into linen fabrics. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
What makes the Mong-made linen fabric distinguishable from others is the sophisticated brocade patterns created by the technique of beeswax drawing. The Mong women use heated beeswax to draw the traditional decorative patterns of Mong people on the fabric. Chai said there are two types of beeswax, one is yellow and the other is brown. They are heated separately until turning into liquid, then mixed in a bowl, which must be kept heated. According to Chai, if the wax is not kept warm, it will dry out and not stick to the fabric when drawing. But the wax should be neither too hot, to prevent it from becoming too thin and not being able to hold a design. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The wax should be kept warm throughout the time it is used to draw the pattern on a sheet of linen. The key in this step is how to control the temperature of the wax. If it’s too hot, you cannot draw a line as too much will come out from the nib. Equally, when it’s not hot enough, the wax will be dried out even before it reaches the fabrics. If the temperature is good, the lines will come out evenly thick. The drawing of patterns requires patience, great care, dexterity and skilful hands. The art of using beeswax to draw on the fabric before the fabric is dyed is called batik, and it is practised by Mong people in other places in Vietnam as well. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
To use beeswax to draw on the fabric, Mong women use a special kind of pen for this work. A typical one has a bamboo or wood handle and metal nib for the wax to be able to drip on the fabric. A burning charcoal stove is needed to keep the wax boiled. When drawing, Mong women dip the pen into the hot wax and quickly draw straight lines on the fabric. After the drawing is completed, the fabric will be dyed with natural colours extracted from local plants without any chemicals used. The parts covered by wax will not be cracked through by colour at this stage so the patterns nicely remain the original colour. The wax is later will be removed easily by washing under hot water. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Linen fabric is used as a gift to the elderly on the occasion of the new year, or to celebrate reaching 60 years old. The elderly very much value such gifts. In Van Ho commune, most families still practise traditional linen making and weaving crafts are only engaging in certain stages, not the entire process. It could take as long as one year to make a sheet of linen cloth because most Mong women do not spend all their time completing each stage of the process from separating flax fibre to weaving. Instead, they often do the work during their spare time. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
A Mong woman embroidering a piece of linen fabric. After dying the fabric, Mong women will embroider various intricate patterns. The main motifs are geometrical shapes, rectangles, squares, or rhombus. The main colours that Mong women use are green, blue, red, purple and yellow. In the past, young Mong women had to be skilful in linen weaving before getting married. Upon leaving for the groom’s house, the bride was presented with a linen dress by her mother. She must also gift her mother-in-law a linen dress made by herself. The traditional costume of the Mong women in Van Ho used to be made of linen fabric. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
A Mong woman is embroidering a piece of linen fabric. Nowadays, as it is too meticulous and time-consuming to make a set of costumes from linen in the traditional way, most Mong women have switched to the commercial fabric. However, they still hand embroider their clothes. Only some households in Van Ho district preserve the traditional craft of cultivating flax plants and weaving linen fabric. In Long Luong and Pa Co communes in Van Ho, where over 85 percent of the population is Mong, a number of women still keep the tradition of making, embroidering and using the traditional costume in their daily life. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
A Mong woman holds a piece of commercial linen fabric with hand embroidery. This piece of fabric is sold for between 1.2 to 2 million VND (51.60 USD to 86.10 USD). However, a similar sheet of linen fabric made in the traditional way with hand embroidery will be priced at 4 to 8 million VND. Mong people in Van Ho district, Son La province, have passed down their unique linen weaving through many generations. Although the cultivation of flax plants and weaving fabric from flax fibre have gradually fallen into near-oblivion, they still keep the traditional patterns and hand embroidery on their clothes. Only a small number of households in Van Ho still preserve this traditional craft. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
It would take one month for Mong women to complete the embroidery on a 6m long sheet of fabric. About 6m of cloth are needed to make a traditional Mong skirt or a men’s shirt or a pair of men’s trousers. Linen fabric is an indispensable part in the life of the Mong ethnic group. It has a strong attachment to the spiritual life of the Mong people. Mong people also believe that linen fabric connects people to their ancestors. If not wearing linen clothes, the dead will not be recognised by their ancestors in the afterlife. Furthermore, linen threads are believed to lead the way for the dead to be reincarnated. Therefore, linen weaving used to play an important role in the life of the Mong. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Mong girls in their traditional costumes at a local market. Nowadays, as it is too meticulous and time-consuming to make a set of costumes from linen in the traditional way, most Mong women have switched to commercial fabric. In Long Luong and Pa Co communes in Van Ho district, where over 85 percent of the population is Mong, a number of women still keep the tradition of making, embroidering and using the traditional costume in their daily life. However, only some families still preserve the traditional craft of cultivating flax plants and traditionally weaving linen fabric using bamboo or wood looms. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Traditional costumes of the Mong are decorated with hand embroidery in meticulous and intricate patterns and bright colours. The traditional costume of the Mong women in Van Ho used to be made of linen fabric. However, making linen fabric from flax fibre requires a lot of work with all of the stages being done manually. For this reason, most Mong women have switched to commercial fabrics. In Long Luong and Pa Co communes in Van Ho district, where over 85 percent of the population is Mong, only some families still preserve the traditional craft of cultivating flax plants and traditionally weaving linen fabric using bamboo or wooden looms. (Photo: VietnamPlus) VNA
