Shopping for ethnic tribal wear

I think for what you want you are living in the wrong part of the country.  Where you live you are more likely to find ethnic Khmer clothing.      Although once or twice removed from the source, you would have a better chance looking in one of the central cities like Hue, Da Nang or even Da Lat or Buon Ma Thuot.

#2 is correct. My wife bought very Malay looking Khmer clothing in Can Tho and I bought some ethnic shirts in Ban Me Thuot a few years ago. The "Chicken Village" outside Dalat sells some overpriced ethnic clothing and trinkets.  Perhaps if you went up to these cities you will be able to find a wholesaler.

Hello, I happen to live in Ninh Thuan province, where Phan Rang is the city near by. I have some employees are tribal people (Cham and Ra giai). They dress just like the Vietnamese daily but they do wear their traditional clothing for religion events. Cham is
Major tribe in Vietnam, they are very much the same peoples in Laos and Khmer as well
as in Malaysia. I believe there must be some outlet that sell tribal clothing and what else in Phan Rang city. Well if you would like to have some samples I can get some for you (free). Let me know.

Thankyou dear for the info.  I'll find out regarding phan rang. Thanks a ton!

Thankyou sir for the piece of information. I shall keep Dalat in mind and hopefully to come across reasonable price. Thanks!!

The owner of Da Paolo restaurant in Hanoi (a very nice place for breakfast) also sells products that made by ethnic people in Sa Pa. He has a hotel in Sa Pa and I stayed there, not quite the comfortable type of hotel I m used to but they did have nice decorations of local goods. Maybe you can contact him and ask to see the place where he hires the local women to make the pillow and clothes with authentic ethnic patterns (I think he said it was a school or sth that have to do with school but it has been a while so no longer remember clearly).

Thank you @heretolearn for very informative and quick response. I think i would prefer day bus journey and hoping its safe for a single female to travel. And if it is possible may i have the contact of the person that you have mentioned (who runs Da Paolo Restaurant).? Thank you once again!

It should be ok. I m a tiny female and I travel back and forth there most of the time by myself for almost two years.
I only go to Da Paolo for breakfast, don't even know the owner s name or if he is still doing the textile business. I think you can call the restaurant and ask. You can find a lot of ethnic people selling textile everywhere in Sa Pa, but for someone who is not in the bussiness like me I can't tell if it is really made by them or if they bought it from China. If that owner of Da Paolo does have a school or sth that hires local women to make it I think he can prove that his products are authentic.

I'd suggest searching in the Sapa area outside of Hanoi, or maybe in Hanoi at one of the shops that carries stuff from there.  There are several different ethnic tribes living in the hills up there, and most of them still do traditional weaving from traditional materials using traditional dyes...I'm sure with some legwork you could find a good source.  The tour outfit Sapa Sisters might be a good place to ask, as they have 60 guides who are all ethnic from the immediate area...

Bruce_M wrote:

I'd suggest searching in the Sapa area outside of Hanoi, or maybe in Hanoi at one of the shops that carries stuff from there.  There are several different ethnic tribes living in the hills up there, and most of them still do traditional weaving from traditional materials using traditional dyes...I'm sure with some legwork you could find a good source.  The tour outfit Sapa Sisters might be a good place to ask, as they have 60 guides who are all ethnic from the immediate area...

Good suggestions.

Prior to that, a person "might" want to visit the museum of ethnology in Hanoi (Ethnographic museum) where many unique examples of traditional clothing from Vietnam's 54 different ethnic groups are on display:

Vietnam Museum Of Ethnology
Nguyễn Văn Huyên
Quan Hoa, Cầu Giấy
Hà Nội 100000
(Phone number on Google Maps profile)

Google Maps link

I think there is at least one more such museum in Vietnam.

I'm also sure you can find photographs online, but I don't think anything can compare to actually viewing real-life examples.

I second that suggestion.  That museum was the highlight of my visit to Hanoi, and very educational.  I'll visit it again next time I pass through.  The various long houses (out back) really are quite fascinating as well, and I think there was actually more I didn't make it too..it's a big complex!  Nice patio spot for a coffee too...it is an urban island of sorts.