Every year, Hanoi puts its craft workshops through a public test. The Hanoi handicraft design contest asks makers to bring new pieces, not reruns of old best sellers, and a panel decides which ones deserve the spotlight. The 2023 round gives a useful look at how Vietnamese handicrafts are judged and why design matters as much as skill.
Why Hanoi runs a handicraft design contest
The city's Department of Industry and Trade organized the 2023 edition, which opened for entries in March under the theme of raising creativity and spreading the essence of the capital's crafts. Hanoi is home to roughly 1,350 craft villages, and 318 of them hold traditional craft village status, according to figures reported by Vietnam News Agency.
The idea is simple. Many workshops are excellent at making a classic item and less sure how to adapt it for new buyers. A contest gives them a deadline, expert feedback and a reason to try something fresh. The competition has been held since 2012, and organizers say hundreds of new designs have come out of it over the years.
355 entries across six traditional crafts
By the day of judging on August 17, 2023, organizers had received 355 products and product sets from 146 individuals and organizations. Entries were sorted into six groups:
- Mother of pearl, wood and horn inlay
- Bronze and stone
- Lacquer
- Bamboo and rattan weaving
- Ceramics
- Silk, embroidery and lace
Sorting by craft keeps the comparison fair. A hand woven rattan basket and a mother of pearl inlaid lacquer jar rely on different skills, so each group chooses its own top works.
The groups also map neatly onto a home. Bamboo and rattan suit baskets, trays and lighting. Ceramics cover tableware and vases. Lacquer and inlay work turn up as boxes, jars and small decorative pieces, while silk, embroidery and lace bring texture to textiles and wall art.
How the judges score a piece
Judges looked at five qualities:
- Creativity: is the idea new, or a copy of something already sold?
- Commercial value: could the piece sell at a realistic price and scale?
- Aesthetics: do shape, color and finish work together?
- Environmental friendliness: are materials and methods gentle on the planet?
- Traditional culture: does it respect the heritage of the craft?
The mix is telling. Beauty alone does not win. A piece also has to be practical to produce and sell, and it has to carry some meaning from the craft behind it.
After scoring, each category advanced its 15 best works to the Hanoi People's Committee for recognition. That adds up to 90 winners, and the city honored 90 designs at an awards ceremony on October 1, 2023.
What the winners mean for buyers
Contest winners are often shown at trade fairs and exhibitions, and the 2023 Hanoi Gift Show ran from October 1 to 4. Entrants also received design guidance and promotion support from experts. For overseas shoppers, that means fresh Vietnamese designs reach the market after feedback from people who know what international buyers expect.
It also explains why modern handmade pieces from Asia now mix old techniques with cleaner shapes, softer palettes and everyday uses. Browse our handmade collection to see how that blend looks in real homes.
Questions to ask before you buy handmade
You can borrow the judges' thinking when you shop. Ask what the item is made from, how long it takes to finish, whether the finish is safe for daily use, and which craft tradition it comes from. A good seller can answer all four in a sentence or two. If the answers are vague, keep looking.
Scale matters too. Pieces that are made in small batches by skilled hands will show small differences from one to the next, and that variation is part of the charm rather than a flaw.
FAQ
Who organized the 2023 contest?
The Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade ran it on behalf of the city government.
Can a piece be a copy of an older design?
No. Entries were meant to be new designs, and creativity was the first scoring criterion.
Are the winning designs available to buy?
Some winners reach trade fairs and retail channels, but availability depends on each maker. Check our blog for new finds.
