Our Story

Tara Sartoria is a women-owned business based in Chicago, USA, founded by Tara Nguyen in 2020. We are dedicated to creating timeless, artisan silk clothing that empowers women, preserves ancient craftsmanship, and invites our customers to embrace a life of self-care, comfort, and meaningful choices.

Each piece is handcrafted in limited quantities by skilled artisans in Vietnam’s historic silk villages, using the finest 27 momme natural mulberry silk—a rare, artisan fabric that’s thicker, stronger, and more luxurious than the mass-produced 19 or 22 momme silks used by most brands. Our silk is naturally thermoregulating, free from harmful chemicals, and machine washable for effortless, everyday elegance.

Our commitment to sustainability guides everything we do: we use minimal packaging, avoid fabric waste, and embrace low-impact, eco-friendly practices. We work directly with artisans, providing fair wages, flexible work, and donating 10% of our profits to fund university scholarships and microfinance loans for women in disadvantaged communities. When these women succeed, they lift the hopes and dreams of the whole community.

Our name reflects our mission: Tara, after the Buddhist goddess of compassion and protection, and Sartoria, the Italian word for a tailor’s workshop—an homage to the handmade artistry that defines our clothing.

About Tara

Let me tell you a story. I grew up in a small town in Vietnam. Nearby, there is a silk village that has been producing silk for over 1,000 years. My grandmother’s most prized clothing items were the silk pants and shirts that kept her cool during the oppressively hot and humid summer days  She gave me the love and reverence for this precious natural fabric - light as air, flows like water on your skin, soft like an early morning gentle breeze, and naturally thermoregulating. It keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

I got a scholarship to go overseas to study. I learnt first hand about the power of education and economic opportunity in changing one’s life. It changed mine, my mom’s, my cousins’, and many other women in my community. It is my commitment to make the kind of opportunities I had available for other women in my community.

After finishing my PhD, I had a successful career and quickly learnt that it came at a considerable cost. I often worked late into the night. I did not sleep well. I neglected self care. I had no time. As I turned 40, I embarked on a journey to take better care of myself. A journey that took me back to my root, including rediscovering the ancient, beautiful world of silk.

With Tara Sartoria, I bring together my love for silk, my commitment to women empowerment and my wish to support traditional silk artisans who are preserving our ancient silk traditions.

I invite you to join me in making beautiful dreams happen. Beautiful dreams when you sleep deep, luxurious and comfortable with our silk products. Beautiful dreams of a better life for the women in Vietnam and Indonesia. Many are able to fulfill their dreams of starting a business or go to university thanks to you (10% profit from your purchase is donated to women's projects).

I invite you to join me in living a story of love and care. Self love. Self care. Love and care for others. Love and care for beautiful things that are made with hearts and soul, made to last, and change your life as well as the lives of others.

Tara Nguyen