Extremely cheap, extremely safe lanterns made from beer cans

For the past three years, Mr. Nguyen Van Duyet (70 years old), living in Linh Dong ward (Thu Duc district, Ho Chi Minh City), has been skillfully and meticulously cutting and shaping beer cans bought from scrap yards into beautiful and interesting lanterns.

At first, he only made toys to distract himself from his old age, hoping that his grandchildren and neighborhood children would have more toys during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Over time, seeing how much the children enjoyed them, he decided to put in the effort to make more to sell. The first year, he sold more than a thousand, the second year he sold double that, and this year he has sold nearly three thousand.

Mr. Duyet started making beer can lanterns at the age of 70.

“Selling more and more lanterns makes me very happy. Having a little extra money to spend, and seeing children, especially those from poor families, still being able to buy lanterns to play with, makes me very happy!”, Mr. Duyet shared.

At first, he used scissors to cut beer cans, but now his work has been upgraded with a homemade machine for cutting and chiseling. He said that since he got the machine, his work has been faster, the lights are more beautiful, and his children can easily help him when they have free time.

The machine-cut lantern has more precision and even cutting lines.

He makes the lanterns himself and also does the “marketing” and delivery himself. The first year, he sold them in 6 stores, this year it has increased to 19. Not only that, whenever he has free time, he brings the lanterns to parks, schools, children’s houses… to sell. He offers them for 5,000 VND each, but he still sells them to children who are short of money, and sometimes he even gives them away for free.

Asked about his income from work, he smiled: "I work for a few months a year and sell at a low price, so each crop I earn five to seven million dong. It's a bit hard at old age, but earning money is fun." That joy is spread when children, especially disadvantaged children, get to play with lanterns on Mid-Autumn Festival.

Mr. Duyet makes lanterns with a homemade machine.

Gradually, Mr. Duyet's beer can lantern "brand" became known and accepted by many lantern sellers. Ms. Lan, the owner of a large stall selling lanterns and moon cakes on Hiep Binh Street (Thu Duc District), affirmed: "Every Mid-Autumn Festival, I import many types of Chinese lanterns, but for the past two years, I have imported more and reserved more space to sell Mr. Duyet's handmade beer can lanterns."

According to Ms. Lan, lanterns made from beer cans are cheap, selling for only 10,000 VND each. When lit at night, the lights have beautiful colors and are safe, so many parents have chosen to buy this type of lantern for their children. There are people who want their children to "avoid" Chinese toys, so they also choose to buy Mr. Duyet's lanterns.

According to VTC News