Unique 12 zodiac animals made of coconut leaves sold during Tet

Near the Lunar New Year, Mr. Phan Hoang Toi (38 years old, from Kien Giang province) often stays up all night to make 12 zodiac animals and dozens of animals from coconut leaves to deliver to customers and sell on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City.

Chàng trai 'biến' lá dừa thành 12 con giáp và hàng chục con vật bán xuyên Tết - Ảnh 1. — Mr. Phan Hoang Toi prepares many animals for guests that he made from coconut leaves - Photo: NGOC KHAI

Sharing with Tuoi Tre Online , Mr. Phan Hoang Toi said that for about two years now, he has been making only about 20-30 animals from coconut leaves each day and selling them for the same price of 20,000 VND/animal.

This year, Mr. Toi still makes animals from coconut leaves and sells them as usual. "This Tet, customers order the 12 zodiac animals the most, along with flowers for decoration," Mr. Toi said.

Mr. Toi said that when he was young, he only knew how to fold coconut leaves into simple objects such as pinwheels, trumpets, etc. In 2018, he started researching and learning online, then learned from artisans to make many different models to make them as realistic and soulful as possible.

He also researched and thought of ways to model in a way that would be unique to him. Many of the clips he posted on social media made many people excited.

Up to now, he has made more than 50 models, including 12 zodiac animals, shrimp, crab, fish, dinosaurs, and many types of birds and animals. When someone asks to make an additional animal, he continues to research and think of ways to make that animal.

Độc lạ 12 con giáp bằng lá dừa bán xuyên Tết - Ảnh 2. — Each animal made from coconut leaves costs 20,000 VND/animal - Photo: NGOC KHAI

Most of the customers are adults who buy them as souvenirs. "Many people have childhood memories of playing with coconut leaves. Later, when they saw it again, they liked it very much and wanted to buy it as a souvenir. There was a man in his seventies who passed by and saw that the horse I made was so beautiful that he asked his children and grandchildren to drive around and buy it before he agreed," said Mr. Toi.

Besides those who bought them as souvenirs, many also bought them for decoration, or to make educational models. "There was a teacher who ordered a giraffe, a cow, etc. as a model to teach the children," he recalled.

The coconut leaves Mr. Toi uses to make the animals are young water coconut leaves. The time it takes him to make an animal depends on the number of details. Some animals only take 7 minutes to make, but some animals like dinosaurs take up to an hour to complete.

"I feel happy when many people compliment me that the animal I made from coconut leaves looks real and has a soul. I want to create more animals" - Mr. Toi shared.