What is Brocade?
Brocade is a product with a long tradition that has been passed down by artisans until now. And now this material is used almost all over the country, not only in brocade craft villages
A passion for creating spaces
A type of fabric handwoven from fibers derived from flax, cotton and hemp. The surface of the brocade fabric is woven in very detail, with patterned cells emerging like hand embroidery, but actually all the processes to create the brocade fabric are done on the loom.
Brocade fabric is handmade by people in ethnic minority areas. Each pattern woven onto the fabric represents each ethnic group’s unique identity. Brocade fabric is a long-standing product used by people in the Central Highlands to make all kinds of costumes, but today this fabric is favored by many people because of the outstanding advantages it brings.
Origin of dye colors on brocade
It can be said that brocade is the leading fabric in combining multiple colors to create unique characteristics for the fabric. However, the colors used to dye fabric fibers are not from chemical pigments but are taken from nature:
Yellow:
Yellow: Taken from turmeric root, after the fabric is dyed, it will be left to dry naturally.
Red:
Red: In the mountainous lands there is a tree called Krung. To get the red color from this tree, artisans will take the bark of the tree, then pound it and cook it.
Black color:
Black color: To get the black color, people will soak young mud with gourd leaves for a few days.
Green:
Green: Stream snail shells will be cooked to dry. Soak them into lime and then soak them with indigo leaves.
Reddish brown:
Reddish brown: The alder bark will be soaked with vinegar, boiled for 3 hours and cooled overnight. When soaking fabric fibers, you must add alum.
Brown or dark red:
Brown or dark red: Dyed from tree bark.
Brocade fabric production process
Each region will have different ways of weaving brocade, but they all go through the same steps and most are made from cotton fibers:
- Processing cotton
Cotton planting and harvesting: Cotton plants are usually planted after the Lunar New Year. Cotton plants will be harvested after growing for about 6 months. A mature cotton plant is when the flowers bloom. Cotton plants will have to be harvested on sunny days.
Cotton rolling: After the cotton is harvested, it will be dried. These cotton balls continue to be popped using a specialized tool to help the cotton fibers become loose and smooth, and after being popped, they will become raw. The raw cotton fibers will be further rolled to create a bond between the cotton fibers.
- Spinning
Make a bow: Use a bamboo stick the size of a chopstick but about 40cm long. Take a little cotton thread and spread it out, then put a bamboo stick on top and crumple it so that the cotton rolls tightly on the tip of the bamboo stick and is about the size of your big toe. Each such cotton stick is called a sliver.
Spinning: Use each sliver to pull the fabric. While pulling, roll the fabric into spools about 15cm long.
- Fabric fiber treatment
Soaking fabric porridge: Next, the fabric fibers will be soaked in porridge water, the fabric fibers will be divided into 2 parts. Part of the thread is dyed before weaving, part of the thread is woven and then dyed.
Thread dyeing: The threads used to weave patterns will be dyed first, the dye is mainly taken from tree trunks or leaves.
- Hook the loom
Fabric hooking: This is a stage that requires truly skilled people and skillful hands. This work must have many people participating at the same time to be completed. At this time, there will be one person in charge of spreading the fabric, the rest will use a large comb to brush the fabric to keep it from tangling.
On the loom: After completing the process of knitting the fabric, the next step will be the weaving and threading stage. This is the stage of embedding flowers according to available brocade patterns so that when weaving is complete, the pattern will appear on the fabric.
- Finished product
Weaving: Weaving brocade is often much more difficult because you have to remember each thread and pattern to change the color spools correctly. If you make a mistake or forget it during the weaving process, it must be removed and repaired immediately.
Fabric dyeing: After weaving, brocade fabrics will be dyed. The background colors of the fabric are usually black, red and brown. These are the basic background colors of brocade fabric.
Applications of brocade fabric in life
- Sewing traditional costumes
For brocade weaving villages, brocade fabric is used by people here to make traditional costumes. In addition, head scarves are also used in many places to sew brocade fabric such as the Thai, Ha Ni, Red Dao… each type of costume represents the cultural identity and traditions of each region. - Types of scarves
Brocade scarves are a work of art, and the scarves will also be woven with unique patterns according to each identity and tradition of each place where it was made. - Brocade scarves are not only used by ethnic minorities, but today they are also a popular fashion trend favored by many people.
- Brocade costumes in fashion
Many designers have used brocade material in fashion show collections. With exquisite beauty imbued with the traditions of the Vietnamese people, many collections are highly appreciated and create a beautiful impression on neighboring countries.
BeQino Brocade 