The story of the girl who turned coconut shells into 'gold'

Vinh Long Turning seemingly lifeless coconut shells into unique jewelry and art, Nguyen Bang Nhi spreads indigenous cultural values ​​through the Cocohand brand.

Falling in love with coconut shells from the lecture hall

Born in 1996 in Huong My commune, Vinh Long province, Nguyen Bang Nhi is one of the outstanding young figures in the creative startup movement of the Mekong Delta region. Graduating from the Fine Arts department of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture, Nhi did not choose the path of urban design or architectural engineering like her classmates, but instead returned to her hometown, beginning her creative journey with… coconut shells.

“During my studies, I was exposed to many different art materials. Coincidentally, while working on my project, I realized that my hometown has a lot of coconut shells, and this material has very natural and artistic patterns and curves,” Nhi recalled.

Unique jewelry products from coconut shells by Cochand. Photo: Minh Dam.

Driven by this passion, Nhi chose coconut shells as the main material for her graduation project, creating her first set of coconut jewelry. After graduating, this passion compelled Nhi to return to her hometown. She asked her parents for permission to stay for a year to further research and create.

In 2019, a turning point came when her products were showcased at the 5th Ben Tre Coconut Festival. Nhi's small booth attracted a large number of visitors with its exquisite, creative, and distinctly Vietnamese style. From there, with the support of the Provincial Investment Promotion and Entrepreneurship Center, Cocohand - a coconut handicraft workshop - was officially established.

Starting successfully with a line of coconut jewelry including bracelets, earrings, necklaces, hair clips, etc., Cocohand quickly expanded into coconut art paintings. Skilled hands cut, polished, laser-engraved, and assembled coconut shell pieces into glass paintings. This product has become a high-end gift, suitable for the needs of businesses and organizations.

“Cocohand aims to provide gift solutions that reflect local identity, are fast, beautiful, and durable. Each product tells a story about local culture and resources,” Nhi shared.

Nguyen Bang Nhi assembles paintings from pieces made of coconut shells. Photo: Minh Dam.

The entire process is done manually, from processing and grinding to attaching accessories; only the laser cutting and engraving is supported by technology to ensure precision and consistency. In June 2025, the workshop was certified ISO 9001:2025 and is applying the 5S process to standardize production.

Thanks to its unique approach, Cocohand quickly made its mark in the handicraft market. On online platforms, when searching for "coconut jewelry" or "coconut paintings," Cocohand consistently ranks among the most searched brands.

Currently, Cocohand supplies an average of 2,000-3,000 products per month, with a presence in many provinces and cities, and is beginning to export to Australia, France, the US, and Japan. Cocohand products have a diverse price range: Keychains start from 35,000 VND, hair clips, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces range from 40,000 to 100,000 VND. Coconut shell paintings, in particular, are priced from several hundred thousand to several million VND per piece.

From hardship to prosperity

In the land of coconuts, coconut shells are considered a discarded byproduct, so in the early days of her business, many people opposed Bang Nhi venturing down this path. Along with that, she also faced countless challenges related to lack of capital, machinery, and experience.

Bang Nhi shared: "No one in my family works in handicrafts, so at first many people objected. But my parents still trusted and supported me."

Tourists visit the Cocohand handicraft workshop. Photo: Minh Đảm.

With passion and perseverance, Bang Nhi has taken steady steps forward. From doing everything herself, Nhi expanded her workshop, invested in more machinery, and hired more staff. Today, Cocohand has 4 main workers in the workshop, 2 sales and marketing staff, 1 accountant, and a group of freelance workers who do the work at home. The average income for workers ranges from 6-9 million VND/month (depending on the volume of orders). In addition, it creates an additional source of income for many households by allowing them to take products home to work on.

Thanks to her ingenuity, "coconut waste" has become "gold," providing local people with an additional source of income and many women in the commune with seasonal employment. At the same time, it spreads the message of green living and contributes to environmental protection.

Cocohand's products have been recognized as 3-star OCOP products. Photo: Minh Đảm.

Beyond creating jobs for local people, Cocohand also contributes to increasing the economic value of coconut shells, transforming seemingly worthless byproducts into a profitable source of income. Previously, each kilogram of coconut shells only sold for a few thousand dong to make charcoal, but now, after being meticulously crafted and imbued with the cultural stories of the coconut region, they become unique handicrafts worth 10-20 times more.

Each bracelet, earring, or laser-engraved coconut shell artwork is not just a souvenir, but also a product embodying the spirit of the countryside, showcasing the skillful hands and creativity of the people of Ben Tre. On average, the Cocohand workshop consumes about 18,000 coconut shells annually, significantly contributing to the value of the local coconut production chain. This model demonstrates that, by leveraging local advantages with creative thinking, materials considered "waste" can be transformed into valuable cultural and economic products.

Sharing her future plans, Nhi said she intends to expand her workshop by about 100 square meters and invest in additional UV printing and laser engraving machines to upgrade products and increase productivity. However, the biggest obstacle currently remains the lack of investment capital and opportunities for in-depth training in production, design, and export. Nhi hopes to receive support from startup programs and innovation funds to elevate Cocohand products and gradually bring the Ben Tre coconut handicraft brand to the international market.

Looking back on her journey, Bang Nhi believes that the most valuable thing is not the revenue or awards, but the pride of seeing her hometown's products loved by everyone. She hopes that from her entrepreneurial story, many young people will be more daring in their creativity and development, so that local cultural values ​​continue to be infused and spread in modern life.

In just a few years, Nguyen Bang Nhi has left a remarkable mark in startup and innovation competitions. She won first prize in the Ben Tre Province Startup Project Idea 2022, first prize in the Women's Startup Innovation and Green Transformation 2024, and many other awards, while the Cocohand Coconut Fiber Bag product won second prize in the OCOP Gift Basket Design 2024. Currently, Cocohand has 3 products achieving 3-star OCOP at the district level, of which Coconut Jewelry is being proposed to be upgraded to 4-star, affirming the prestige and brand position in the market.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/cau-chuyen-cua-co-gai-bien-gao-dua-thanh-vang-d783717.html