There was a time when Phu Gia horse hats accompanied Tay Son insurgent troops on horseback across the country, contributing to glorious military feats. That is why the hat was named the "horse hat."
Compared to other types of Vietnamese conical hats, the Phu Gia horse hat is crafted with far greater labor and uniqueness. To complete a single hat, artisans must manually perform over 10 stages, with some hats taking up to 20 days of processing.
Hats decorated with silver or copper toppers are valued at up to tens of millions of Vietnamese dong. Remarkably, Phu Gia Village still preserves several horse hats aged 100 to 200 years old, serving as a testament to the durability and resilience of this ancient hat line.
Today, Phu Gia horse hat weaving has been recognized as a national cultural heritage, with around 300 households practicing the craft. Within the village, Meritorious Artisan Do Van Lan, 79, is considered the "soul" of the horse hat weaving trade.
Meritorious Artisan Do Van Lan serves as a teacher who both instructs and spreads the horse hat weaving craft to young artisans, while also playing a pivotal role in bringing Phu Gia horse hats to international markets such as the UK, France, Canada, India, South Korea, the Netherlands, and Italy.
