Created from a passion and commitment to preserve Vietnam’s identity, founders Huyen and My established Viethnic. Both were born in the mountainous province of Hoa Binh, which allowed them to understand the richness in traditions that the ethnic minorities of northwestern Vietnam have to offer. Huyen and My hope to encourage the younger generations in these villages to pursue careers in their traditional craft by raising awareness that it is a sustainable livelihood. “Because the majority of the craftwork is done by women, we want to help them improve their skills with the ultimate goal being to help them improve their lives and self-worth, and without having to be separated from their family to find work elsewhere,” says the two partners.
Viethnic is a portmanteau of “Vietnam” and “Ethnic” [artisans], and their mission is to bring the deep-rooted, distinctive and beautiful Vietnamese culture to the world. Viethnic isn’t just about promoting this craftsmanship globally, it’s also about facilitating its evolution, owning responsibility for the designing, orientation and quality of each item they sell. All products are made using natural resources with the aim to minimize any negative environmental impact by using a special plant-based dye fabric and a zero-chemical treatment during the making process.
Visit viethnic.com for more info. A special discount for Oi readers, type in “5Y6OEYLP” and get 10% off all items purchased online, valid until the end of December 2018.