Amazed by the lotus leaf hat

SCRATCHED WITH THE BLUE HAT

Deeply passionate about Hue 's traditional crafts, while still a painting student at Hue University of Arts, Nguyen Thanh Thao (36 years old) pondered how to revive the craft of making conical hats in Doc So (An Hoa Ward). From processing Bodhi leaves for painting and calligraphy, he came up with the idea of ​​transforming lotus leaves into a material for women to make hats. This bold idea immediately encountered many obstacles. Previously, hats were made from palm leaves – a durable material that can withstand harsh weather conditions – while lotus leaves, on the other hand, become brittle and easily broken when dry. "It took me two years to solve this 'problem'," artist Nguyen Thanh Thao began his story.

Artist Nguyen Thanh Thao - a person with a burning passion for lotus flowers.

Mr. Thao said that the lotus leaf hat combines a bamboo frame with lotus leaves, two materials characteristic of Vietnam, so the hat is also full of symbolism. When he started making them, he knew he would face challenges in processing the lotus leaves to ensure durability, and in coloring them to match the original green tone of the leaves… "Initially, I processed the lotus leaves instinctively without any knowledge of dyeing technology or mold prevention. I asked myself questions and tried to decipher them. I sought out clothing dyers, chemical workers… to learn and develop my own solutions for making lotus leaves more durable, as well as methods for dyeing leaves using food coloring to ensure environmental friendliness," Mr. Thao said.

In 2017, Mr. Thao discovered the secret to making lotus leaf hats withstand sunny and rainy weather, extending their lifespan to two years. He took his hats, with their natural green color, throughout Hue City to introduce and sell them… But things didn't go as smoothly as he expected, as he faced rejection from many small traders. They argued, "How much sun can lotus leaves withstand?", "What kind of hat is this, so bright green?"…

Despite facing much criticism and skepticism about its quality, Mr. Thao remained undeterred. He entered his product into a competition and, that same year, his lotus leaf conical hat won the A prize in the "Innovative Startup" competition in Thua Thien-Hue. Following this, a renowned artisan in Hue commissioned him to produce 20 hats as gifts for a South Korean partner. In 2020, at the Vietnamese handicraft competition organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the lotus leaf conical hat received an encouragement award. "Thanh Thao's lotus leaf conical hat" gradually gained a foothold and acceptance in the market.

APPLICATIONS OF LOTUS

One afternoon, I visited the lotus leaf hat workshop of artist Nguyen Thanh Thao, where the workers were diligently tidying up hundreds of hats after a day of drying in the sun. A corner of the workshop, piled high with hats, displayed their original green color, still showing the veins of the lotus leaves, looking very appealing. "Currently, I have about 20 workers who make lotus leaf hats, paid 50,000 VND per hat. After receiving the hats, another group of workers will dye them twice and dry them in the sun twice. This meticulous process, combined with colorfastness, ensures the lotus leaf hat will last a long time," Mr. Thao said, adding that each finished hat sells for 180,000 - 200,000 VND, while artistic hats command a higher price…

The lotus leaf hat is dried in the sun for two days.

Now, artist Nguyen Thanh Thao sells thousands of lotus leaf conical hats nationwide every year. His hats are loved by many foreign tourists for their uniqueness, bearing the distinct mark of the ancient capital city. During every festival season, especially during the Hue Festival and the Hue Traditional Craft Festival, he can't produce enough lotus leaf hats to keep up with demand. Thao explains that the best quality lotus leaves are usually found around the 15th day of the 4th lunar month. When the lotus flowers bloom, Thao travels all over Hue to buy leaves to stock up. Even so, he often doesn't have enough lotus leaves to make hats, forcing him to import them from the Mekong Delta provinces.

"As an artist, I've always maintained the artistic lotus leaf hats to satisfy my passion. These are hats painted and embroidered onto lotus leaves," said artist Nguyen Thanh Thao. Mastering the "technology" of processing lotus leaves, Thao has developed the "Sen Thao" brand with many other unique handcrafted products such as handbags, hand fans, etc. In particular, in the lotus leaf art line, he creates embroidered and installation paintings featuring lotus pods, petals, and leaves, all possessing high aesthetic value. He also researches and incorporates lotus into the interior design of restaurants and hotels… ( to be continued )

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ngo-ngang-non-la-sen-185241012215527853.htm