From simple rattan and bamboo strips, they have created miracles: 5-star OCOP products, exported to the most demanding markets such as Germany, the Netherlands, and Japan. The old craftsmen keep the spirit of the profession with perseverance and patience; while the young people give wings to rattan and bamboo to fly far with ideas, designs, and market thinking...
From rough hands to 5-star OCOP products
The bamboo and rattan lantern group is currently the only representative of Nghe An to be recognized as a 5-star OCOP. Photo: CSCC
Recently, Nghe An continued to receive good news when the Duc Phong bamboo lamp product group - including twisted bamboo hanging lamps, lotus petal table lamps, and wall lamps - was officially approved for the 5-star OCOP title at the National level.
Previously, in 2022, 5 other products of this enterprise were also honored with 5 OCOP stars. Up to now, this is the only product group of Nghe An to reach the OCOP peak twice - a miracle woven by the rough hands of the village craftsmen, thanks to the patience and enduring love for the traditional bamboo and rattan weaving craft.
Rough hands have made bamboo and rattan bloom. Photo: TP
For them - the elderly craftsmen, knitting is not only a profession but also a source of pride, a bond that connects them to the craft village and the outside world. They - the craftsmen who have never left their homeland - are quietly making handmade products that appear in cafes in the heart of Berlin, furniture showrooms in Paris, or green spaces with a strong Japanese style in Tokyo.
Like Mrs. Vo Thi Muoi, over 65 years old this year, has been involved in the bamboo weaving profession for a decade. Although her hands are calloused, not as flexible as when she was young, and her eyes are not as sharp, every day she works diligently with bundles of rattan and small bamboo strips.
Elderly workers are attached to the weaving profession with passion and dedication. Photo: TP
"Every time I know that my knitted products are exported abroad, I feel proud. I have never been far away, but the products I make are exported all over the world - that is the greatest happiness of a craftsman" - Mrs. Muoi said emotionally.
Or like Mrs. Doan Thi Tai, who has been involved in weaving for more than 15 years. Despite her old age and her children and grandchildren being grown up, she still maintains the habit of sitting by the bamboo frame every morning, weaving each layer of bamboo regularly. For her, the job not only helps increase her income but also brings joy every day.
"I feel like I'm still useful, still contributing to making export products. Every time I see the finished sophisticated bamboo and rattan lamps, I feel like my efforts are worth it," Ms. Muoi shared.
Rough hands make 5-star OCOP products. Photo: TP
It is the meticulousness, patience, love for the profession and sense of responsibility of those honest workers that have contributed to creating 5-star OCOP products, conquering even the most demanding markets in the world.
Workers with decades of experience in the profession. Photo: TP
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"Every time I know that my knitted products are exported abroad, I feel proud. I have never been far away, but the products I make are exported all over the world - that is the greatest happiness of a craftsman."
Mrs. Muoi said emotionally.
When young people touch the soul of clouds and bamboo
On the seemingly old material of rattan and bamboo, Mr. Thai Ba Phuong (born in 1987), is the designer of 5-star OCOP rattan and bamboo products, the one who breathes new life into rattan and bamboo. Born and raised in Vinh city in a family that does handicraft rattan and bamboo products, he chose a different path for himself, which is to study information technology.
After that, he went to the Netherlands to study import-export, then studied industrial design abroad. Instead of choosing an office job in a big city or a creative environment in Europe, Mr. Phuong chose to return to his hometown - where his father used to make a living from rattan and bamboo - to start a very unique journey.
Mr. Thai Ba Phuong - owner of 5-star OCOP rattan and bamboo lamp designs. Photo: TP
In a simple workshop in a corner of Nghi Phu Industrial Park (Vinh City), Mr. Phuong diligently sketches each rattan and bamboo lamp model with a Nordic feel: minimalist, sophisticated but still clearly showing the soul of Nghe An craft village.
His designs: ceiling lamps, pendant lamps, table lamps, wall lamps made of woven rattan in round blocks, bird's nest blocks, mushroom blocks... are warmly welcomed by customers in Germany, the Netherlands, and France thanks to their elegant, minimalist designs while still maintaining rustic craftsmanship.
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“I don’t want to create products just for viewing, but they must be items that have both high aesthetic value and practical application, truly essential products for European people. Bamboo and rattan – things we are familiar with – are the advantages of Vietnamese people. I want customers to see them with a new eye,” Mr. Phuong shared.
“The most important thing is that each rattan lantern product is a work of art, highly aesthetic and creative, but it must be ensured that they are not so sophisticated that they are difficult to produce. On the contrary, with just a few instructions, the rattan weavers in the craft villages - most of whom are elderly women - can completely make a complete product.
Because, the most important thing for a rattan and bamboo export company is the competitive advantage in design, mass production to supply the market, ensuring jobs and stable income for workers in craft villages," said Mr. Phuong.
Those 5-star OCOP products are exported to nearly 30 countries around the world. Photo: TP
According to Mr. Phuong, the lifespan of each designed rattan and bamboo product only lasts about 2 years, at most 3-4 years because the designs change constantly to meet consumer tastes and customer living trends. “Every year, I have to have hundreds of design ideas, sketches and then send them to customers and partners for selection and comments. From customer feedback, I will perfect them to create new designs. Therefore, the work intensity is quite intense.”
To have new designs and new ideas, in addition to understanding customer tastes and understanding the market, we also need to visit craft villages, raw material areas, and contact famous artisans all over the country.
Mr. Doan Anh Tuan, the person who transmits the technique of weaving bamboo and rattan lamps that achieve 5-star OCOP. Photo: TP
Accompanying Mr. Phuong on the journey of turning designs into real products is Mr. Doan Anh Tuan - the main technician of Duc Phong Company Limited. If Mr. Phuong is the one who draws the products, then Mr. Tuan is the one who realizes those products.
Each design, when transferred to the factory, must go through a manual “translation” phase: from 2D and 3D drawings, Tuan calculates the proportions, chooses suitable materials, and then directly instructs the weavers - each joint, each fold, each border. “Every time there is a new design, I study it carefully and start working on it, making a sample product.
Each 5-star OCOP product exported is the heart and soul of the craftsmen. Photo: TP
After that, I teach the techniques to the workers. Most of them have to "hold hands and show them how to do it". Because each product is like a living being with its own personality. Knitting the right shape is not enough. The important thing is to maintain the design spirit. Therefore, I have to pay close attention to every detail, even eat, work and fix things with the workers. But luckily, although the workers are old, they learn very quickly, skillfully and very dedicatedly" - Mr. Tuan confided.
On sunny afternoons, under the simple workshop roof, the image of young people bending over to bend frames and old workers weaving rattan and bamboo fibers is not only a continuation between generations, but also a testament to the journey of integration while still preserving the traditional core.
5-star OCOP products are now present in 5 continents, at international trade fairs. Photo: CSCC
There is no longer a gap between designer and craftsman. There is no longer a line between rustic products and high-end export goods. There is trust, collaboration and inspiration - from the most rustic things, young people have created the most modern products that still carry the spirit of craftsmanship.
The combination of modern creativity and traditional craftsmanship not only brings beautiful products. It also creates a production model suitable for craft villages: young people do the design - old workers make the products - businesses are responsible for the market. A production chain that is humane, sustainable and competitive enough in the export market.
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