Dó Paper: How Young Vietnamese Are Reviving an Old Craft

How are young Vietnamese people “playing” with dó paper today?

What is dó paper?

Dó paper (giấy dó) is a handmade Vietnamese paper often described as one of the most durable papers in the world, with a lifespan said to reach 500–600 years. For centuries it held a cherished place in everyday Vietnamese life.

Since ancient times, dó paper has carried the knowledge of the land. People used it to study, write poetry, practise calligraphy and pass on learning. Under the old dynasties, every kind of official document, from royal edicts and petitions to reports, certificates and decrees of enfeoffment, was drafted on dó. In cultural life it held parallel couplets (câu đối), calligraphy, devotional and decorative paintings and Buddhist scriptures. Through every fine stroke on its surface, artisans quietly set down the soul of the nation.

Making dó paper takes many painstaking steps. Fibres from trees gathered in old forests are soaked and pounded to a pulp, then patiently scooped onto a frame from a basin of clear water, until the papermaker has formed sheets that are thin and delicate yet remarkably strong.

Its magic lies in the natural fibres woven tightly together. That “breathing” structure absorbs moisture well and resists mould, defying time to keep handwriting and folk paintings from fading for centuries.

How are young Vietnamese using dó paper today?

But today’s dó is not only a thing of nostalgia.

Through the creative eyes of a younger generation, the heritage of dó paper has been given new life. It has stepped out of books and temple walls into free reinvention as lamps, origami and fans, bringing its rustic calm into contemporary homes. Every appearance of dó now is more than decoration: it is a respectful handshake between present and past, between the young and their ancestors.

Watching young people celebrate this piece of Vietnamese art, we at Thơmore believe that, with steady love and endless creativity, the next generations will keep dó paper alive, so that a beauty carrying the nation’s spirit stays beautiful for a long time to come.