Where to buy real silk in Hanoi? Visit Lua Lang Shop
The first time you touch this silk, you have a strange reaction: “What is this wonder?” It is neither shiny, nor thick, nor smooth like those from department stores. And yet, it is soft; it’s the silk of my childhood, the one I have been searching for for years. Real traditional Vietnamese mulberry silk. Today, I finally find it again thanks to Lua Lang.
I discovered Lua Lang on Instagram and despite several years of ordering (remotely, even though I occasionally find myself in Hanoi), I never had the time to go there because it is a 30-minute scooter ride from my home.
It’s a shop nestled in a peaceful alley. That day, I took the time to make the trip, driven by curiosity and their reputation. And I was not disappointed. I stayed there for an hour, talking passionately with one of the owners—there was so much to say. They are true textile lovers. I buy custom-made pajamas or pillowcases there, depending on my mood. The quality is exceptional.
You have to understand that, even in Vietnam, you don’t find 100% pure silk on every street corner. Being in a producing country doesn’t mean the supply is everywhere, nor that the weavers are attentive just because you put a little money on the table. Here, if the effort required is too great for what it brings in, the weaver simply removes you from the list.
This is where Lua Lang’s expertise makes all the difference. With over ten years of experience and relationships woven (literally) with artisans, they manage to order their own silks in traditional weaving, with their own colors from the famous silk village of Nha Xa. And that’s rare. Very rare. Because weaving pure silk the old-fashioned way costs more and poses far more technical issues. Blended silk, on the other hand, is stronger, so much easier to handle, consumers are none the wiser, and they even prefer its sheen. Before, I believed that silk with a width of 90cm (the size of the traditional loom) was a sign of 100% silk, but that’s not the case; now they also weave blended silk on the same loom.
Photo: in red, true 100% silk; in pink, blended silk
Quality starts with the cocoons. The ones Lua Lang uses are white, produced by silkworms fed exclusively on mulberry leaves – that’s what guarantees the finest quality. As soon as the cocoons are yellow or the diet changes, the silk becomes different. These are details that we, as consumers, don’t know about, but that connoisseurs spot immediately. And even within the same village of weavers, some families have much higher quality than others. You need to be in the trade to know who to approach.
Cutting and sewing silk requires a great deal of expertise, and their excellence shows especially when you order garments from them. With traditional silk, there’s no room for error: once the fabric is pierced, the hole will never close again.
For pillowcases, they always have sizes 40x60cm and 50x70cm in stock (expect between €15 and €17).
For other sizes, simply order in advance. For my custom orders (pajamas and special pillowcases), I arrange ahead of time. I place them several weeks—even months if I need a particular color—before my trip. That way, once there, everything is ready. All that’s left is to touch, admire, and try on.
Oh, and satin! I’m often asked why I don’t use silk satin. Lua Lang no longer makes it. He told me there’s a high-tech Japanese machine in Lam Dong that produces silk satin. But it’s no longer traditional silk, nor woven on traditional looms. Reason: satin and traditional weaving don’t go together. Too fragile. It will eventually damage and lose its fibers.
I asked him if he has quilted silk pillowcases. He replied that not only are they expensive, but they flatten over time.
Scarves come in two formats: square or rectangular. To embellish scarves, he offers custom designs or traditional patterns. Despite using watercolor, the design is resistant to (hand) washing. For these scarves with designs, the edges are hand-rolled, whereas the edges of plain scarves are machine-made. The rolled edges can’t be as plump as those from Hermès because the silk is finer (plain weave), while Hermès uses twill weave, which is thicker.
Another product I highly recommend is scrunchies. It was using Lualang’s that made me realize I was tearing my hair out every time I used a cotton one. Silk, on the other hand, doesn’t create static electricity and is gentle on your hair. If you can save 3-4 hairs each time, by the end of the year that’s a lot of hair staying on your head.
Thank you, Lualang, for this traditional silk, fine, not shiny, almost raw… and yet so precious. Once you’ve adopted it, there’s no going back. It’s one of a kind.
Lualang shop
address: 152 Ng. 165 P. Chùa Bộc, Trung Liệt, Đống Đa, Hà Nội, VietnamGoogle Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2DejEhwwqifDaoeB8
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lualang
They ship worldwide. You can send them a bank transfer via Wise, for a fee of €2-3 (or use my promo code to avoid fees the first time). They will receive it immediately in VND.
