More than 600 years of formation and development, Bao La bamboo and rattan weaving village (Dan Dien commune, Hue city) still persistently maintains the craft amidst modern life. From a side job in the idle time of farming, Bao La has become one of the typical craft villages of the Ancient Capital.
In the small house by the river, hands are quickly splitting bamboo and sharpening bamboo strips. For the workers, each product is not only a household item but also the crystallization of memories and village culture.
When cheap plastic products flooded the market, traditional products fell into a state of sluggishness. Many households abandoned the profession. In 2007, Bao La bamboo and rattan weaving cooperative was established, opening up a new direction, focusing on improving designs and searching for markets.
Mr. Vo Chuc, who has been attached to the profession for 60 years, said that in the past, production was entirely manual, so productivity was low and income was unstable. "Thanks to machine support and technical training, people work faster, have better designs, and their lives have improved," he said.
Many women in the village now proficiently use saws and raw material processing machines. The combination of craftsmanship and technology helps products to be uniform and more competitive in price. Not only are there familiar baskets and bamboo baskets, Bao La also creatively adds lanterns, jam trays, and interior decorations to serve Tet and tourists.
The cooperative currently creates jobs for more than 100 workers, with an average income of nearly 5 million VND/month. On-site bamboo and rattan raw materials help products be environmentally friendly.
Products are contracted for consumption by Northern businesses, with annual revenue of more than 5.6 billion VND. Many items have appeared in foreign markets. 4-star OCOP certification affirms quality, clear origin and creativity in design.
Amidst the market cycle, Bao La chooses to innovate but not leave the roots so that the rattan fibers and bamboo strips continue to weave the story of a craft village in Than Kinh land.
