Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Answers to the questions we are asked most, from the silk itself to shipping, returns and gifts. If yours is not here, email Folkformint@gmail.com or call (+84) 98 109 89 22, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:00 Vietnam time.

Our silk and motifs

Where are Folk Form pieces made?

In our own atelier in Hanoi, Vietnam. We make silk scarves, silk neckties, silk-wrapped bead necklaces and silk and linen clothing, and every motif is redrawn by hand in our studio from archive photographs of Ly and Tran Dynasty art, made between the 11th and 15th centuries.

What are Folk Form scarves made of?

100% mulberry silk at 16 momme, hand screen-printed through both faces, one screen for each color, with edges rolled and stitched by hand. Momme is the traditional unit of silk fabric weight: one momme equals 4.34 grams per square meter, so 16 momme is about 69 grams per square meter. Higher momme means heavier cloth with more body, for the same weave. Read more in Mulberry Silk Benefits: What Is True and What Is Marketing.

How do I know it is real silk?

Every scarf box contains a small square cut from the same bolt as your piece, so you can test the material yourself on something other than the scarf you just paid for.

To check it, burn a thread or the swatch over a sink, away from anything flammable. Silk burns with a smell like burning hair and leaves a soft ash that crushes between your fingers. Polyester melts into a hard bead. It is a home check, not a lab test.

Our silk is also tested at the Textile Testing Center, part of the Vietnam Textile Research Institute, an independent body, not our own lab.

Are the patterns hand-drawn?

Yes. Our studio redraws every motif by hand from archive photographs of Vietnamese heritage sources, separates it into one screen for each color, and prints it by hand, one pass per color, through both faces of the silk.

What do the motifs mean?

In short: the dragon is a wish for a good year and a mark of achievement, the phoenix a sign of peace and prosperity, the lotus character kept in hard times, and a pair of mandarin ducks a lasting marriage. Our guide to what Vietnamese silk motifs mean explains each one and whom it suits.

Is a lotus silk scarf made from lotus fiber?

Our lotus scarves are 100% mulberry silk. The lotus is the printed motif, drawn from Thang Long palace art and hand screen-printed on the silk.

Which size should I choose?

• 22 inch / 55 cm: bag handle, wrist, ponytail, small neck knot. A small square for a considered accent.
• 26 inch / 65 cm: headband, ponytail wrap, neck knot. It handles hair and neck equally well, so it is where most people begin.
• 36 inch / 90 cm: full head wrap, turban and shoulder cover, plus everything the 26 does.
• 44 inch / 110 cm: shawl, sarong or travel layer, and the size that shows the whole design.
• Twilly, 6 x 106 cm / 2.4 x 44 in: a narrow ribbon of silk for a bag handle, a ponytail or a slim bow.

Our silk scarf size guide compares every size.

How do I care for silk?

Scarves: wash every 3 to 5 wears in cold water with shampoo or body wash, squeeze without wringing, dry flat in the shade and iron on the lowest silk setting while damp. Neckties: dry clean only. Silk-wrapped necklaces: never in water. Silk clothing: dry cleaning recommended. Linen: machine wash cold, gentle.

Shipping

What does shipping cost?

Free on orders of $90 or more. US orders under $90 carry a flat $20 shipping fee. For other destinations, the rate for orders under $90 is shown at checkout before you pay.

Do I pay import duty?

Not on United States orders. Folk Form pays the import duty. The amount you confirm at checkout is the final amount you pay, and nothing is owed when the parcel arrives. If a carrier bills you in error, send us the receipt and we refund it in full.

For destinations outside the United States, duties vary by local regulation. Where prepaid duties are available they are shown at checkout.

How long does delivery take?

• United States: 9 to 15 business days after dispatch
• Other international: 9 to 18 business days after dispatch
• Made-to-measure pieces: the same delivery times after dispatch, with 3 to 5 business days of tailoring before dispatch

Orders are processed within 1 to 3 business days of payment. Processing time is separate from delivery time. Tracking is emailed the moment your parcel leaves the atelier.

When should I order for Christmas?

For Christmas delivery in the US, we recommend ordering by November 27. For any other fixed date, allow up to 18 business days to a US address: 1 to 3 business days of processing, then 9 to 15 business days of delivery.

Where is my order?

Your tracking link is emailed the moment your parcel leaves the atelier. Updates may take 24 to 48 hours to appear after the carrier's first scan. You can also check your order on the Order Tracking page. If your parcel has not arrived within 5 business days after the estimated window, email Folkformint@gmail.com with your order number and we open an investigation with the carrier.

Do you ship within Vietnam?

For orders within Vietnam, please shop at folk-form.vn, our Vietnam store.

Made to measure

Can you make a piece to my measurements?

Yes, on our clothing. Choose made to measure, then reply to your order confirmation email with your measurements. We confirm them within one business day and send a secure link for the made-to-measure surcharge, 10% of the listed price. Our ao dai is always cut to measure, and tailoring is already included in its listed price.

How long does a made-to-measure order take?

Once your measurements are confirmed and any surcharge is paid, tailoring takes 3 to 5 business days, on top of our usual 1 to 3 business days of processing. Delivery then takes 9 to 15 business days to the United States, or 9 to 18 business days elsewhere. In total, allow 13 to 23 business days to the United States, or 13 to 26 business days elsewhere.

Can I return a made-to-measure piece?

Made-to-measure pieces sit outside our thirty-day return policy because they are cut to you. Each one includes one complimentary alteration if it needs a minor adjustment: contact us within 14 days of receipt, and you cover shipping in both directions. Manufacturing defects are covered in the same way as on any other item.

Returns

What is the return window?

Thirty days from delivery. Unused, unwashed and unworn, in the original gift box.

Where do returns go, and who pays the postage?

Returns travel back to our atelier in Hanoi, Vietnam. For a change-of-mind return, the international return postage is yours; we send the address with your return authorization. If the fault is ours, we pay postage both ways.

What if something is wrong with the item?

A flaw in the silk, a print error, a failed seam, the wrong item, or transit damage. We cover postage both ways and either replace it or refund you in full. Email us with your order number and a photograph.

What if I changed my mind?

Send it back within thirty days and you cover the return postage. Choose store credit instead of a refund and we add fifteen percent.

Is handcrafted variation a defect?

No. Minor variation in weave regularity, slight color nuance within a dye lot, tiny print imperfections inherent to hand screen-printing, or a millimeter of difference in dimension are part of the character. Returns for defect are accepted where a flaw meaningfully affects how the piece looks or wears.

How do I start a return?

Email Folkformint@gmail.com with your order number and the reason. We reply within 72 business hours with a return authorization number and the address. Please do not send anything back before you have that number.

Payment and privacy

Which payment methods do you accept?

Visa, Mastercard, American Express and other cards shown at checkout, plus Shop Pay, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Direct bank transfer in USD is also accepted; email us for the details. All charges are in US dollars.

Do you sell my personal information?

We do not sell personal information for money. We share some browsing information with advertising partners to show more relevant ads, which some US states treat as a "sale" or "sharing". You can opt out at any time on our Your Privacy Choices page.

Gifts and partnerships

What arrives in the box?

Every order arrives gift boxed. A scarf comes folded in tissue in a rigid gift box, with a printed story card naming the motif and its dynasty, an illustrated styling guide and a care card.

Can you send it straight to the recipient?

Yes. Enter their address as the shipping address and yours as the billing address. We never include prices inside a parcel, and the priced invoice goes to your email only. Add a short message in the Order Notes and we handwrite it on a branded card, complimentary.

Do you work with wholesale or corporate partners?

For wholesale, corporate gifting or partnership inquiries, contact us at Folkformint@gmail.com or (+84) 98 109 89 22 and we will share the current terms.

I am buying several pieces as gifts. Is there a discount?

For larger orders we can discuss tailored terms. Contact us with what you have in mind and we will come back to you.