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Handmade crafts offer Vietnamese artisans creativity, income and balance

E-magazine Handmade crafts offer Vietnamese artisans creativity, income and balance

Nguyen Thi Thu Thao, 35, from Tuy Phuoc Tay commune, began crafting clay flowers in 2022 after discovering them online.

Each piece requires meticulous steps, from rolling and molding clay petals to painting and assembling branches.

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Ms Nguyen Thi Thu Thao (right) and some of her clay-made flowers. Photo: D.L

While a small arrangement takes about two days to finish, larger ones can take up to five.

Her dedication allows her to produce lifelike lotus, lilies, tulips, and succulents, often fooling viewers into mistaking them for real flowers.

Thao spends around two hours daily on her craft and earns an additional 2–3 million VND ($80–120) per month.

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Thao is decorating the lotus flowers. Ảnh: D.L

Similarly, Pham Dinh Trong, 37, from Phu My Bac commune, found inspiration in the landscapes of his hometown, channeling it into intricate dioramas.

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Trong and his handmade model. Ảnh: D.L

Using simple, low-cost materials such as foam, wood scraps, plaster, and dried leaves, he recreates rural scenes including rice fields, bamboo groves, and village courtyards. Each model can take between a week and a month to complete.

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Anh Trọng luôn dành thời gian với "góc trưng bày" sa bàn tại nhà. Ảnh: D.L

Though initially a personal passion, Trong now considers selling his works for both income and motivation.

For Pham Thi Tuyet Nga, 32, from Quy Nhon, crafting flowers began as a school hobby and evolved into a small business in 2020 through Facebook and e-commerce platforms.

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Nga and her handmade colourful flowers. Photo: D.L

Starting with small decorative pieces, Nga gradually developed skills in color coordination and material handling, enabling her to fulfill large-scale orders of up to thousands of flowers.

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Nga is finishing one of her works. Photo: D.L

Depending on the season, she earns between 3-10 million VND ($120-400) monthly.

Her creations range from miniature flowers just a few centimeters wide to oversized designs reaching 1.5 meters, crafted from fabric, felt, paper, or foam.

Across Vietnam, artisans like Thao, Trong, and Nga demonstrate how handmade crafts can enrich lives-providing not only a creative outlet but also a practical means of support.

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