Lotus leaves become a creative product.

Mr. Thai said that he used to make various types of altar lamps from glass. Realizing that this material was quite heavy and easily broken during transport, he searched for a lighter material that still ensured aesthetics and quality. “After many experiments with various materials, I accidentally succeeded with lotus leaves. Besides being lightweight, lotus leaves also meet the requirements for color and aesthetics. In 2012, I launched decorative lotus leaf lamps, then lotus leaf fabric products for painting, and finally bags and wallets as I have today,” Mr. Thai said.

To create unique products from lotus leaves, Mr. Thai traveled extensively through lotus ponds in An Giang province , and even went to the Dong Thap Muoi region to find suitable lotus leaves. However, lotus leaves wilt quickly, becoming dry and brittle within just 10 minutes of being pulled out of the water. Therefore, processing them while maintaining their original shape is the most difficult task. Keeping the leaf membrane and veins intact requires a great deal of time and effort. But in return, each lotus leaf has a completely different membrane and vein pattern, so the resulting products will have unique colors and vein details, making them unlike any other," Mr. Thai explained.

Mr. Lieu Truong Thai stands beside his artwork depicting the Buddha entering Nirvana, made from lotus leaves.

To date, Mr. Thai has created four main products: lotus lamps, lotus leaf paintings, lotus leaf bags and wallets, and calligraphy on lotuses. Among these, lotus leaf paintings have the most diverse designs, including lotus paintings depicting Buddha, Dong Ho lotus paintings, lotus portraits of people, and lotus paintings of Vietnamese landscapes and people.

Besides simple products made from lotus leaves, Mr. Thai also uses branches of the Melaleuca alternifolia tree – a very common tree on Phu Quoc Island – to create imitation tile wall decorations and feng shui vases. He combines lotus leaves with Melaleuca alternifolia roots to create very impressive and eye-catching decorative lamps. Mr. Thai shared: “I create products from lotus leaves and Melaleuca alternifolia trees, not only for business purposes, but also to diversify the souvenir product line and promote the image of Phu Quoc Island in particular, and Vietnam in general, to domestic and international tourists. I also dream that one day, my products will be officially exported, not just through tourists as they are now.”

Currently, depending on the size, Mr. Thai's products sell for prices ranging from a few hundred thousand dong to hundreds of millions dong per item, and are well-received by consumers and tourists. Besides selling products, Mr. Thai opened the "Vietnamese Lotus Leaf" tourist attraction, located on the Cable Car Road in Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone, attracting many domestic and international tourists. Here, visitors can experience various activities such as visiting the exhibition space showcasing handicrafts made from lotus leaves and golden melaleuca trees, practicing calligraphy on lotus leaves, making lotus leaf bags and wallets, and creating lotus leaf mosaics. In addition, visitors can enjoy lotus tea, dried lotus seeds, and lotus seed jam with family and friends.

Sharing his experience at the "Vietnamese Lotus Leaf" attraction with a group of visitors, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, said: "I was surprised and impressed by the products made from lotus leaves. These are unique and creative works of art that reflect the rich culture of the Vietnamese people. I think these products will be popular not only in the domestic market but also in the international market."

Text and photos: PHAM HIEU

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/la-sen-thanh-san-pham-sang-tao-a424864.html