Elderly women keep nearly century-old hammock weaving craft alive in central Vietnam

When the day’s farm work winds down, elderly women in Kien Khuong Village, Mo Cay Commune, gather in courtyards to weave hammocks by hand.

Some prepare the threads while others work on the hammocks, their hands moving quickly as they weave and knot each strand. The work provides a small but useful source of extra income, particularly for older residents who can no longer take on strenuous farm work.

From tree fibers to nylon threads

Residents say hammock weaving has been practiced in Kien Khuong for around 80-100 years.

In the past, villagers collected a type of aromatic tree from the forest, dried it and processed its fibers into thread. Dried coconut fibers were also used to make hammocks.

Nylon thread has gradually replaced those natural materials, making the work easier and the materials more readily available.

However, the basic weaving techniques have remained largely unchanged.

Making a hammock involves several stages, including winding the thread, weaving the body, knotting the ends and finishing the edges.

Most of the work is still done by hand, requiring patience and careful attention to ensure that the threads are evenly woven and securely knotted.

Nguyen Thi Nguyet, 76, has spent many years making hammocks. For her, the craft is more than a way to earn extra money — it is also a means of preserving a trade handed down from previous generations.

Sitting among fellow weavers, Nguyet said she can complete several hammocks a day, earning VND8,000-16,000 (US$0.3-0.6) per hammock depending on its size.

A diligent worker can make an additional VND30,000-50,000 ($1.1-1.9) a day.

Doan Thi Tam, 60, has also been weaving hammocks since childhood.

She said the work is not lucrative but suits older people who are no longer able to perform physically demanding jobs.

“Making a good hammock involves many steps, from winding and weaving the thread to knotting the ends and finishing the edges,” Tam said. “We try to keep this traditional craft going.”

A side job that is hard to give up

Weaving is only one part of the process. The thread must first be spun and wound before it can be used.

Seven households in Kien Khuong specialize in spinning thread and supplying it to hammock makers.

Bui Phan has worked in the trade for more than 30 years. He initially spun thread entirely by hand, but has used machinery to assist him for about 15 years, making the work less strenuous.

He earns around VND14,000 ($0.5) for every kilogram of finished thread. Though the income is modest, the work suits Phan and his wife as they have grown older and are less able to work in the fields.

Most villagers weave hammocks during breaks from farming, particularly after harvests, on rainy days or whenever they have spare time.

Nguyen Minh Duong, head of Kien Khuong Village, said the craft has been practiced there for more than 80 years. More than 130 households, including the seven thread-spinning households, are currently involved in the trade.

Villagers can earn an average of VND1-1.5 million ($38.2-57.3) per household each month from weaving hammocks, Duong said.

In the past, Kien Khuong hammocks were sold in Cambodia and Laos as well as to street vendors in the region. They typically cost VND50,000-100,000 ($1.9-3.8) each, depending on their size.

The village hopes to help residents maintain the traditional craft as a source of supplementary income during farming breaks while preserving a trade that has been part of local life for generations.

For people like Nguyet, Tam and Phan, the craft represents more than a modest source of income. Their steady hands are helping keep alive a traditional trade that has connected generations of villagers for nearly a century.