Development of bamboo and rattan weaving

One of the traditional crafts appearing in the villages, producing products serving the daily life of the people such as baskets, trays, trays... With the creativity and skillful hands of the people, the products are increasingly improved in quality, diverse in design, model, color... with high applicability, serving many different industries and fields such as baskets, handbags, tea trays, hangers, lampshades, flower baskets...

Development of bamboo and rattan weaving Bamboo and rattan products of Tan Tho handicraft cooperative, Tan Tho commune (Nong Cong).

Tan Tho Handicraft Cooperative, Tan Tho Commune (Nong Cong) is one of the cooperatives producing and trading handicrafts, utensils, and decorative items made from rattan, bamboo, and sedge. Currently, the cooperative has created jobs for hundreds of workers in Tan Tho Commune and other communes in and outside the district. Ms. Trinh Thi Thuy, Phu Quy Village - one of the workers with many years of experience in the profession, said: The rattan and bamboo weaving craft has no template, so it requires the craftsman to be skillful, meticulous, and creative, not only that, but also to ensure the technique and aesthetics, so that the finished product meets the specifications and designs of the order. For the rattan and bamboo weaving profession, choosing raw materials is the most important step in the production process, choosing the type of bamboo that is not too young, not too old, grows straight and has high hardness; the rattan also needs to be of moderate size, straight and even; then proceed to pre-process to remove impurities and clean, avoid termites, mold. Bamboo is peeled and then dried to help soften the bamboo and create a beautiful and stable color; rattan is also cleaned and created a smooth, shiny surface, dried to dry the rattan and help get the natural color. Splitting the fibers is the most important and time-consuming step because the fibers must not be too thick or too thin, creating the toughness of the material to be able to create different products; then the craftsman will use simple tools such as knitting scissors, cutting knives, knitting hooks to carry out the bamboo and rattan weaving process... Currently, in addition to renewing and improving the quality of traditional products, the Cooperative has focused on vocational training, encouraging people to be creative, improving quality, and improving designs to meet market requirements; especially using natural materials and coloring methods to help the products always be environmentally friendly.

Not only consumed domestically, the cooperative's products have been exported to markets in Asia and Europe, bringing high economic efficiency and creating stable jobs for workers.

Currently, in Nong Cong, Nga Son, Hoang Hoa, Quang Xuong districts... the bamboo and rattan weaving profession is being focused on development, the bamboo and rattan weaving products are not only beautiful, have high aesthetic value, but also have applications for many different purposes in daily life, decoration, gifts... Therefore, there are many enterprises and cooperatives that have implemented product consumption, vocational training for workers, such as Ngoc Son Hanoi Company, Quoc Dai Company Limited, Green Sedge Production, Trade and Export Company Limited, Tan Tho Handicraft Cooperative... From there, it has contributed to bringing opportunities for bamboo and rattan weaving products to be present in foreign markets such as Japan, Korea, Spain... In addition, production facilities have proactively brought products to consumers through actively participating in displaying and introducing products at fairs; promoting and selling online on the unit's website and e-commerce platforms. At the same time, participate in training courses and instructions from the province and district on applying digital transformation to promote product consumption... However, in reality, maintaining the profession and finding stable output for products still faces many difficulties, because the younger generation is no longer interested in learning a trade.

Therefore, to maintain and develop the traditional bamboo and rattan weaving profession, in addition to the attention and facilitation of all levels, sectors, enterprises and production households, it is necessary to be proactive in innovating technological equipment, combining traditional and modern elements, gradually improving quality, design, and increasing product competitiveness; especially proactively participating in introducing and advertising products at fairs, e-commerce platforms... to seek opportunities for cooperation in production, business, and export of goods. In addition, it is necessary to attach importance to training, improving the skills and awareness of workers; building product brands and craft village brands associated with maintaining and expanding the market.

Article and photos: Le Ngoc

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