Artisans maintain traditional conical hat trade in Chuông Village

Artisans and traders gather in Chuông Village, Vietnam, to participate in a recurring morning market for conical hats.

The village has produced these traditional hats for more than 300 years. The market occurs six days a month on specific dates of the lunar calendar in the courtyard of the local communal house. This gathering serves as a specialized hub where people buy and sell every component of the craft, including bamboo frames, threads, and binding materials, alongside finished products.

Traders also move palm leaves to a nearby pagoda courtyard to sell bundles for artisans to flatten and stitch. While some sellers move hundreds of hats at once, the market maintains a traditional atmosphere without modern storefronts. The event functions as a vital economic link for the community, preserving a craft that has sustained local livelihoods for centuries.