[Photo] Lotus leaf conical hat, a special gift for tourists to Hue

NDO - Conical hats have long been a symbol of Hue. From regular conical hats to poem hats, they have all become meaningful Hue gifts. Although they were invented long after poem hats, lotus leaf hats quickly won the favor of customers and soon became one of the indispensable gifts for every tourist visiting the ancient capital of Hue.

The lotus leaves are selected for their best beauty, processed to make them durable and long-lasting in color. The meticulous and skillful needlework increases the value of the hat many times over, making it worthy of being a souvenir for every tourist when coming to Hue .

Ms. Nguyen Thi Gai, 61 years old, a conical hat artisan in Hue said: The conical hat is made entirely of two layers of lotus leaves. After the conical hat is sewn, the surface is covered with a layer of paint; this helps the hat to withstand rain and sun well.

As a skilled artisan, the girl diligently makes two lotus leaf hats every day.

The special feature of Hue lotus leaf hats is the leaf veins that are clearly visible on the surface of the hat. Each leaf has a different vein, so each lotus leaf hat made will have different features, no two are alike.

In addition to the function of protecting from the sun and rain, the lotus leaf hat also has a faint lotus scent that makes the user feel relaxed and comfortable.

Mr. Nguyen Tat Dang, Head of the craft department of the Nguyen Dynasty Vietnam Royal Cultural Products Development Company Limited, said: The most difficult step in making a beautiful conical hat is choosing the leaves.

According to Mr. Dang, there are many types of lotus grown for making conical hats. Lotus growers must choose varieties with large, thick leaves to make beautiful conical hats.

Lotus leaves after harvest must be processed immediately to ensure thickness and beauty.

Mr. Dang shared: In the summer, lotus leaf hats sell best. During peak season, his company has to hire more craftsmen from hat-making villages.

To meet the needs of customers, artisans in the tourist attractions of the ancient capital of Hue make many conical hats of different sizes for customers to choose from.

In addition, artisans also draw patterns on the hats to make each finished product eye-catching.

Not only sold in tourist areas of the ancient capital of Hue, lotus leaf hats are present in many tourist attractions, airports and on e-commerce platforms serving domestic and international tourists.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/anh-non-la-sen-mon-qua-dac-biet-du-khach-den-hue-post868797.html