Hanoi village famous for making national flags in past 7 decades

During these days, the villagers of Tu Van village, Le Loi commune, Thuong Tin district, Hanoi are busy making national flags on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19, 1945-19 August 2020) and the National Day (September 2, 1945-September 2, 2020).

Located more than 30 km south of Hanoi, Tu Van village has been famous for sewing national flags for over 70 years.

According to the elderly villagers, since ancient times Tu Van village was famous for its traditional weaving and embroidery crafts. In August 1945, the Resistance Committee commissioned the town's artisans to embroider the flag of the Homeland in the lead-up to the August Revolution.

Since then millions of flags made by craftsmen of Tu Van village have been waved by Vietnamese people in major events.  Many Tu Van villagers were employed by the Co Do (Red Flag) co-operative in Hanoi’s Hang Bong Street to make flags.

In the stream of excited people and the forest of flags fluttering on Ba Dinh square on September 2, 1945, there were red flags with the yellow star created by talented hands of Tu Van village workers. Since then, the people of Tu Van village have always taken pride in their craftsmanship of sewing the national flag which has been passed down from generation to generation.

Today, many families in Tu Van village still engage in national flag production.

The younger generation has been trained in the traditional craft sewing.

The anniversary of the National Day (September 2) is considered the “flag season” which makes workers of Tu Van village busier than ever.

Although making national flags doesn’t require much skill, the tailors need to be meticulous in their work to make sure each flag complies with regulated requirements.

Nguyen Thi Kim Anh (Tu Van village), currently a second year student of Thang Long University, takes advantage of the summer holidays to participate in the family business of embroidering the Homeland flag.

Flags are packed before being sent.

Photos: Pham Hung (Kinh te & Do thi)