As a unique handicraft product, however, the problem of raw materials and output of silk woven from lotus silk of Phung Xa village is still a problem that is not easy to solve.
The information was given at the seminar "Artisan Phan Thi Thuan - Lotus Silk - Current situation and solutions to reach out to the world" organized by the Phan Business Club in the North in coordination with a number of units on January 19, in Hanoi.
4,800 lotus stems make one piece of silk.
Phung Xa (My Duc district, Hanoi) is considered the cradle of mulberry growing, silkworm raising and silk weaving. After many ups and downs, Phung Xa's mulberry growing, silkworm raising and silk weaving gradually faded away. Up to now, Phung Xa craft village only has one very effective business, which is My Duc Mulberry and Silk Company Limited of Ms. Phan Thi Thuan.
According to artisan Phan Thi Thuan - Director of My Duc Silk Company Limited, after the special product of silk cotton blankets woven by silkworms, the next product is lotus silk - a unique product with high cultural and economic value. This is not only an affirmation of her talent and creativity, but also opens a new direction full of potential for the Vietnamese hand-weaving profession.
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| Artisan Phan Thi Thuan introduces products made from self-woven silkworms and lotus silk to tourists. Photo: Nguyen Hanh |
To create lotus silk, the craftsman must go through many meticulous processes. The lotus stems are harvested and cut, and the thorns are cleaned. After being classified, the craftsman needs to use a knife to lightly score and break the bark of the lotus stem. The drawn silk is put into a tube and put on a reel to make the silk thread firmer. The qualified lotus silk threads are put on the loom to weave into complete silk sheets.
A piece of silk requires about 4,800 lotus stems, but even the most skilled craftsmen can only make about 200-250 lotus stems a day. The lotus silk produced has a pleasant herbal fragrance. Each lotus silk thread is like a "blood vessel" that nourishes the lotus plant. Thanks to its uniqueness and cultural value, lotus silk woven products attract many domestic and foreign customers. Lotus silk has been invested in and developed by the State. In 2023, the products: lotus silk scarves, lotus silk embroidered silk paintings, etc. of the craft village were evaluated and classified by the city in the OCOP program.
“It takes us 1 month and 7 days to produce a towel woven from lotus silk. The price of a towel without embroidery is about 10 million VND/piece, and for hand-embroidered towels, it is about 12 million VND/piece,” said artisan Phan Thi Thuan.
Desire to connect and expand the market
According to information from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam currently ranks third in the world in silk production, after China and India. Silk export value in 2022 reached 70 million USD. Most of Vietnam's raw silk is exported to India, accounting for more than 90%.
However, lotus silk products have many factors to expand into large markets around the world. For example, lotus silk products have been recognized as 5-star OCOP. Lotus silk of artisan Phan Thi Thuan also has attractive and unique stories. Lotus silk products have been loved and highly appreciated by the international market thanks to their uniqueness and good humanistic and humanitarian values.
Willing to teach for free to anyone who wants to learn, what Ms. Phan Thi Thuan wants is to be connected and supported to create a wider output not only in the domestic market but also in the world.
Sharing at the Seminar, Dr. Dao Trong Chuong - Former Assistant to Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong - stated that the lotus silk products of artisan Phan Thi Thuan have great potential to reach the international level. Currently, artisans, enterprises, and craft villages have been facilitated by the locality and the State to produce, trade, and expand their markets abroad.
However, in order for handicraft products in general, lotus silk and silk products in particular, to reach out to the international "big sea", in addition to the unique factor, silk production needs to upgrade technology and keep up with the times. In addition, the raw material market needs to expand to meet demand. In addition, the company needs to upgrade infrastructure, apply technology and machinery to shorten product production time to increase competitiveness. Finally, it is necessary to ensure social security for workers making lotus silk and silk products to feel secure in their work.
| In 2024, designer Bui Cong Thien Bao used lotus silk to create the design “Lua Nang Sen”, which was performed by Miss Huynh Thanh Thuy at the Miss International 2024 contest in Japan. The highlight of the outfit is the simulation of a hand-woven loom attached to the back. The outfit has been highly appreciated by international experts. |
Source: https://congthuong.vn/lang-nghe-phung-xa-tim-huong-di-cho-lua-to-sen-370327.html
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