Placemats are multifunctional accessories that are essential for setting a complete table. Besides protecting the table’s surface, placemats are an easy way to add personality to each place setting, and they're easy to change with the mood.

Our new handwoven bamboo placemats are available in a variety of bright, exclusive colors. This collection comes from Vietnam, a country with a long tradition of weaving by hand. Vietnamese families use bamboo mats for many of their everyday activities, such as eating and sleeping. These colorful accessories brighten rooms and are easy to roll up and store when no longer needed.

Vietnamese weavers often trace the history of the craft in their families through numerous generations. Once a weaver learns to make mats, they’ll typically devote many decades of their life towards looming mats for their families, tourists, and exports.

Vietnam has more than 50 ethnic groups, many of which carry on weaving and textile traditions that have existed for centuries. The Cam Ne Mat Village was established in the 15th century. It initially made mats for kings that were part of the Nguyen Dynasty in a city called Hue, which is more than 60 miles from the Mat Village. This detail suggests the mats were high-quality, in short supply or both, since members of royalty were willing to request them from so far away.

Similarly, Vietnam boasts craft villages numbering at least in the hundreds, with some estimates saying there are thousands. The craftspeople working in them make their livings by producing specific handmade goods, which can range from pottery to conical hats, and of course, woven mats.

Our mats bring a piece of the Vietnamese culture of craftsmanship to the table. Each set of four is hand-dyed and features organic color variations and textural hand-woven style. They’re the ideal additions to your well-equipped dinner table.