“Pack to the Roots” – a bag pack full of innovative design, traditional textile crafts and social engagement
from Vietnam, supported by the federal chancellery of the Republic of Austria and the Austrian
Broadcasting Company ORF II
Live online webisodes and an artistic documentary about an ambitious development cooperation in Vietnam
coming soon.
Vienna-Hanoi, Nov. 6th 2015 – Intercultural exchange and corporate citizenship: The family roots of the
Austrian textile artist Nü lead to Vietnam and China. In her current project she took its title literally: „Pack
To The Roots“ is a project that combines her own biographical quest with an endeavour for ecologically
and socially sustainable textile production.
For this purpose, Nü created an exclusive product that brings together innovative, intelligent design and
traditional textile crafts from Vietnam: A cotton made rucksack whose folding reminds one of that one of a
paper bag. This backpack is produced in Vietnam in the course of a tailoring workshop dedicated to
disadvantaged female workers. Through this initiative, a group of Vietnamese women shall be empowered
to improve their financially and socially precarious living conditions by themselves and their own tailoring.
One of the reasons why these women are facing economic difficulties is the fact that surrounding salt
production in the Nam Dinh area had to close down due to the effects of climate change.
Funded by the federal chancellery of the Republic of Austria, this workshop represents the first initiative
within this intended long-term project. Bags are sold online and promises a reasonable revenue for the
artisans. The shop can be found here: www.hause.nu
Apart from mediation work and sales, and in order to present her project to a broader interested audience,
Nü documents everything on video. Footage of the journey, its people and production conditions serve as a
starting point for a series of webisodes that will be available on her website as well as on vimeo. 

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Manuela Trinh