Thanks to knowing how to exploit the advantages of local soil and constant creativity, Mr. Pham Quang Manh (Dak Cha village, Ia Pa commune, Gia Lai province) has turned dried gourds into unique handicraft products.
Talking to us, Mr. Manh said: In the past, he was a carpenter. In 2021, while surfing social networks, he came across the image of a young foreigner making handicrafts from gourds. The unique shape of the gourd attracted him and he had the idea of trying it out. After searching online, he learned about the gourd handicraft model of the people in Tay Ninh . Realizing that this was an opportunity and also a separate direction, he decided to grow gourds himself to proactively source raw materials.
Due to lack of experience, he encountered many difficulties in the beginning of his business. Not discouraged, he persevered in learning through the internet and books, and at the same time decided to go to Tay Ninh province to learn the trade, directly visit and learn about the process of planting, caring for and making products from gourds.
In addition, he also spent time surveying the soil and climate in Ia Pa commune and found that the local natural conditions were very suitable for growing the gourd variety. In early 2023, Mr. Manh invested in planting 1 hectare of gourd.
With an area of 1 hectare, each year, Mr. Manh can harvest 3 crops, each crop about 60,000 fruits. However, to create standard handicraft products, the grower must be meticulous right from the stage of selecting raw materials. The selected gourds must have a balanced, harmonious shape, smooth surface, no scratches or pests. When the gourds reach maximum maturity, dry naturally on the trellis and turn opaque white, the wood inside is sturdy enough, suitable for crafting, then he proceeds to harvest.
Before being sun-dried, each gourd must have its outer shell treated by lightly scraping off a very thin layer, helping the gourd to dry gradually from the inside out, while also removing any remaining natural pungent odor. After the shell is treated, the gourd is exposed to direct sunlight for 8 to 30 days, depending on the size of each gourd. The drying process not only helps the gourd reach the ideal dryness but also produces many different shades of wood color. To create a golden color for the product, the craftsman must smooth it with a polishing machine.
To create a complete art product from the gourd, the craftsman must go through a meticulous and elaborate process. After drying, the gourd will be processed inside, completely removing the fibers and seeds, then coated with a layer of beeswax to prevent termites and help preserve it longer. This step also helps the gourd retain its natural color and characteristic light fragrance. Next, the craftsman will draw a sketch with a pencil directly on the surface of the fruit, then patiently and meticulously follow each sketch to engrave by hand or a specialized laser machine.
“When carving patterns, the craftsman must be very skillful, otherwise just one clumsy knife stroke can crack, break or make the product rough and lose its value,” Mr. Manh confided.
After completing the pattern, the gourd is covered with 2 layers of protective plastic to increase the product's strength, waterproofing and creating a beautiful shine. Depending on the model, the product is painted with different colors and attached with accessories such as LED lights, wooden bases or small decorative details to increase aesthetics and functionality.
To meet the number of orders, Mr. Manh hired 4 skilled local workers to carve patterns and complete the products. Up to now, Mr. Manh has created hundreds of unique art designs from gourds such as: night lights, table lamps, wall lamps, wine bottles, feng shui vases, decorative items, souvenirs, etc. Each product has its own look, both rustic and modern, suitable for many different living spaces and aesthetic tastes.
Mr. Pham Quoc Anh (Doan Ket village, Po To commune) shared: “I bought a few products to display in my house and found them very beautiful and unique. In addition, I am also actively introducing and promoting these products on social networking platforms so that more people know the value of my local products.”
The prices of the products range from 80,000 to 300,000 VND, depending on the size and sophistication. Each year, Mr. Manh's facility sells more than 1,000 products. Initially, Mr. Manh only promoted and sold the products through his personal Facebook page and art-loving groups. In the early days, the number of sales was small, mainly to friends, acquaintances and some customers who happened to know him through social networks. However, the uniqueness of each of his gourd art products gradually attracted many customers from the provinces to order.
Not stopping at the domestic market, Mr. Manh boldly approached the foreign market. After many years of diligently searching for partners and promoting products, his products have now been exported to China and some Southeast Asian countries.
Sharing his future plans, Mr. Manh said: “I plan to expand the gourd growing area to 1.9 hectares; at the same time, continue to search for and expand the market. In addition, I am also researching new designs, combining traditional and modern to meet diverse customer tastes. If I find a stable output, I plan to recruit more workers, contributing to job creation and income generation for local people.”
Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/bien-qua-bau-ho-lo-thanh-san-pham-my-nghe-post560643.html
![[Infographic] In 2025, 47 products will achieve national OCOP](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/402x226/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/7/16/5d672398b0744db3ab920e05db8e5b7d)
Comment (0)