The young man and his bamboo dream.

Born amidst vast bamboo groves and witnessing the poverty of his homeland, Ly Van Cuong, a young man born in the 1990s (from Phieng Kem village, Thuong Minh commune), chose to breathe life into bamboo, transforming it into unique, environmentally friendly handicrafts. Without formal training, and relying only on his skillful hands, he confidently brings his "green" products to the market.

Bamboo is given a new lease of life, transforming it into unique handcrafted products.

From a private entrance

Anyone who has ever set foot in Thuong Minh commune will surely be impressed by this land, where everywhere you look you will see endless green bamboo groves and forests. In this place that seems to only have simple trees, young man Ly Van Cuong has found his own path to starting a business from the bamboo of his homeland.

Cương's idea stemmed from simple images of everyday life in the countryside. He said: "When I was young, I was familiar with the sight of people spending their lives working in the fields and surrounded by bamboo groves, yet life was still difficult. I thought, there must be a different way, we must transform bamboo into products with higher value."

Without formal art schooling or significant financial resources, the young man's only assets were his skillful hands, patience, and determination to pursue his idea to the very end.

Initially, he only tried making a few small products: bamboo cups, pen holders, tea boxes. Surprisingly, when he shared them on social media, friends and acquaintances praised their beauty and placed orders. That's where his entrepreneurial journey began.

Cương used his savings to buy a grinding machine, his first asset to establish a small workshop. His bamboo workshop is divided into four areas: a raw material storage area, a boiling and processing area, a crafting area, and a product display area.

Working tirelessly day and night, he meticulously studied and crafted products from bamboo. To ensure product quality, Cương sought out elderly villagers to learn how to select mature bamboo and how to treat it to prevent termites. He also independently researched online techniques for shaping, dyeing, and processing bamboo to make it both durable and safe for users.

Bamboo tea boxes, eco-friendly green gift products, were featured as gifts at the FFF II program impact assessment workshop.

Through difficult times, Ly Van Cuong's bamboo products have now become more refined and have received the attention and support of many customers inside and outside the province.

Among these, products such as pen holders, tea boxes, wine glasses, cups, teapots, and decorative items, priced from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dong per item, attract a considerable number of customers.

Through products made from bamboo, he hopes to convey stories and unique cultural aspects of the nation; therefore, he always pays attention to every detail, no matter how small, in each product.

In a conversation with us about the young man Ly Van Cuong, Ms. Nong Thi Uyen, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thuong Minh commune, said: "Thuong Minh commune has a fairly large area of ​​bamboo and rattan, especially bamboo. Mr. Cuong's bold decision to start a business using readily available local resources is a very promising direction. His model not only affirms the daring spirit of young people but also contributes to creating an outlet for the bamboo and rattan products of Thuong Minh."

Then there are the "green" products that are attracting customers.

Not content with just producing ordinary products, Cuong boldly invested in laser engraving and printing equipment to engrave patterns, calligraphy, traditional designs, or logos according to customer requests. Bamboo tea boxes engraved with the characters "An" or "Phuc," and bamboo cups printed with ethnic patterns, quickly became unique souvenirs.

He shared: In feng shui, bamboo is considered a "secret weapon" for attracting wealth and good fortune. With its hollow trunk, bamboo evokes tolerance and openness, while also bringing positive energy, helping people achieve luck and prosperity. In particular, bamboo is also a symbol of gentlemanly qualities, embodying unity, loyalty, nobility, and indomitability – the most distinctive values ​​of the Vietnamese people. I want to make bamboo products a distinctive souvenir for tourists visiting Ba Be Lake – a famous tourist destination in the region. Visitors often want to take home a souvenir related to the local area. If bamboo is crafted into beautiful and unique products, it will both promote the homeland and help local people earn extra income.

Ly Van Cuong's "green" bamboo handicrafts are popular with many customers.

The young man's "green" products are gradually gaining a foothold. Many customers from within and outside the province are coming to place orders. Especially with the trend towards environmentally friendly consumption, products made from bamboo are becoming increasingly popular.

As one of Mr. Cuong's regular customers, Ms. Ma Thi Ninh, Director of Yen Duong Cooperative in Thuong Minh commune, enthusiastically said: "Bamboo tea boxes are products closely associated with forests and farms. We have signed an agreement with Mr. Ly Van Cuong to develop a product line of bamboo boxes and fragrant pumpkin tea, which both embodies traditional values ​​and makes for unique gifts. Especially at the Vietnam FFF II 2018-2025 Impact Assessment Workshop on September 18, 2025, the beautifully designed product line, featuring the PAO logo, was well-received by international friends as a green and sustainable gift."

Currently, Mr. Cuong is planning to expand his workshop, research more new designs, and create jobs for young people in the village. He believes that starting a business is not only a path to personal wealth but also a way to contribute to changing the face of his hometown and easing the hardships of his fellow villagers. He is confident that "Beautiful, practical, safe for health, and environmentally friendly products will surely be well-received by consumers."

The story of the young man who "breathed life" into bamboo is not only a story of creativity and perseverance, but also proof that: if you know how to explore and dare to do it, even the most seemingly ordinary things can become valuable products. Ly Van Cuong is continuing to write his green dream, the dream of bringing bamboo from his hometown to a wider audience.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/net-dep-doi-thuong/202510/chang-trai-tre-va-giac-mo-tre-truc-fa026f9/