The person who "breathes life" into the bamboo tree

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - In Trung Chinh commune, there is a woman who is breathing life into rustic bamboo fibers every day, turning rough mountain forest materials into exquisite handcrafted works of art. That is Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, director of Tan Phuc handicraft cooperative - a person who not only revives the dying traditional weaving profession, but also opens up a new direction for hundreds of rural workers, especially the elderly.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, director of Tan Phuc handicraft cooperative (Trung Chinh commune) checks the quality of handbags made from bamboo before leaving the factory.

Before becoming the director of the cooperative, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong had gone through a difficult journey. Coming from the poor countryside of Trung Chinh commune (formerly Tan Phuc commune, Nong Cong district), Ms. Huong had traveled to many handicraft villages across the country to learn weaving techniques and craft products. Those years of wandering not only helped her accumulate knowledge and skills, but also nurtured in her a strong desire to develop handicraft products from abundant local raw materials.

In 2017, with the attention of the local government, Ms. Huong decided to establish Tan Phuc handicraft cooperative - a major turning point marking her return and the beginning of her career of "breathing life" into the bamboo tree. The cooperative's bamboo raw materials are carefully selected from the mountainous areas of Thanh Hoa province. The selected bamboo tree must be young, not too old or too young, to ensure the flexibility and strength of each woven thread. Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong shared: "To make a complete product, the craftsman must skillfully perform a series of steps from selecting raw materials, splitting bamboo, creating molds, hand weaving, finishing the surface to anti-mold treatment". Not only stopping at traditional products with classic designs such as baskets, trays, plates..., her Tan Phuc handicraft cooperative also constantly innovates and updates new designs suitable for modern fashion trends such as: handbags, flower baskets, bowls, decorative pots...

In addition to production for the domestic market, the products of Tan Phuc handicraft cooperative have been reaching out to the international market. On average, hundreds of thousands of products made from bamboo are exported to European countries every day. These are strict markets but always appreciate environmentally friendly products with traditional cultural values. In the first 6 months of 2025, the cooperative's revenue reached 1 to 2 billion VND per month, an impressive figure for a handicraft production model. In particular, her cooperative has now become a support for nearly 1,000 local workers, mostly women and the elderly aged 50 to 80. Workers' income is calculated based on the products produced, ranging from 2 to 6 million VND/month. Ms. Luong Thi Tuyet, living in Trung Chinh commune, said: “I have worked at the cooperative for 4 years. We receive raw materials for weaving during the off-season when there is no work. Although the income is not high, for rural people, especially the elderly like me, this is a stable source of income, helping my family a lot.” Not only does it bring income, the work at the cooperative also helps many elderly people have the opportunity to work, socialize, continue to live a useful life and preserve the identity of traditional handicraft weaving.

In order to develop sustainable handicraft products from the Song tree, Ms. Huong and the cooperative not only focus on production but also on vocational training for the community. Many weaving and handicraft making classes have been organized for free or at low cost to pass on the skills to the younger generation as well as create job opportunities for unskilled workers. Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong shared: “Tan Phuc handicraft cooperative not only focuses on economic efficiency but also cares about the sustainable development direction for products from Song tree and connecting the community. With the support of local authorities and the efforts of workers, I hope Tan Phuc handicraft cooperative will contribute to improving people's lives and building a more prosperous and beautiful homeland”. Her efforts over the years have shown that if we know how to exploit what is available reasonably and creatively, each locality can build for itself a sustainable development path, both improving people's lives and preserving the green color of the homeland.

From the forests of Thanh Hoa, the Song tree, which seems to be just a normal climbing plant, has been elevated in value by Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong and the Tan Phuc handicraft cooperative. Not only making the most of the available local raw materials, she and the cooperative also bring about a sustainable, environmentally friendly development direction in an era where green consumption is becoming an inevitable trend. Handicraft products from Song trees not only contribute to preserving traditional crafts, but also spread the message of living in harmony with nature, reducing plastic waste and affirming the position of Vietnamese products in the international market.

Article and photos: Phuong Do

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/nguoi-thoi-hon-cho-cay-song-259188.htm