Born in 1984, Ms. Nhu Nguyen is continuing and developing the craft of making leaf-skeleton, a craft closely associated with her father, artisan Vo Ngoc Hung. From wild terminalia catappa leaves that have completed their natural life cycle, and through a meticulous processing journey, they are “reincarnated” as hand fans, wallets, conical hats, and lamps, etc., that embody a gentle yet enduring beauty.
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| Hand-painted motifs on hand fans |
From memories to leaf-skeleton hand fans
Ms. Nhu Nguyen's journey with leaf-skeleton products stems from her family’s craft. Her childhood was filled with images of her father sitting quietly by batches of leaves, patiently waiting for each layer of leaf flesh to decompose and reveal the slender leaf “skeleton”. From those memories, she soon recognized the refined beauty and intricate details of leaf skeletons.
“My father was the first person to show me that a leaf skeleton can tell a story,” she shared. Driven by a love for nature and a desire to carry on a job that requires perseverance and patience, she chose leaf-skeleton hand fans as a way to both preserve the craft and renew her family’s tradition. Initially, these products were made to practice the techniques her father taught, used only at home or given as gifts. However, once the first hand fan was completed, durable enough for use while still retaining the leaf's lightness and thinness, she began to believe that leaf skeletons could move beyond experimentation and become products integrated into daily life.
That moment opened a long-term path. From the first hand fan, the leaf-skeleton products gradually expanded to include wallets, conical hats, umbrellas, and lamps… All share a common spirit: entirely handmade, respecting the material's natural characteristics, and never prioritizing quantity over quality. This approach has earned her products a following among lovers of handicrafts, art, and green lifestyles.
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| A hand fan that holds both aesthetic and practical value |
Entering a new life cycle
Completing a leaf-skeleton hand fan or conical hat is a long process filled with challenges. The greatest difficulty lies in the durability and stability of the leaf-skeleton. Not every leaf is “destined” to become a finished product. Many batches were torn or decomposed midway through the process, forcing the artisan to discard them and start over. Yet, these failures helped her understand the material better, allowing her to refine each step so that the leaf-skeletons remain both sturdy and naturally shaped.
Among leaf-based products in Hue, customers often think of the familiar lotus-leaf conical hats. However, while many products pursue uniform surfaces and vivid colors, Ms. Nhu Nguyen's leaf-skeleton conical hats offer a different direction. They are thin and light, preserving almost the structure of the leaf, creating a natural and rustic feeling at first sight.
Through unique processing and shaping techniques, the products also create a striking translucency effect. When held up to the light, every delicate vein becomes clearly visible. The difference lies in preserving the “leaf essence” to the greatest extent: choosing the difficult and slow path to preserve the material's original beauty.
Currently, Ms. Nhu Nguyen maintains a small handicraft workshop at home. Her father handles the leaf-skeleton processing; her mother hand-paints and dyes the patterns; and she participates in both stages. Consequently, every product possesses a unique personality; no two are exactly alike. On average, the family completes about 30 - 40 products per month, not a large number, but fitting for creative handicrafts.
Customers of these leaf-skeleton hand fans and conical hats are typically art lovers, visitors, and small-scale collectors. Currently, the market is concentrated mainly in Da Nang, Hue, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City, along with small international orders.
For Ms. Nhu Nguyen, the story behind the material holds the greatest value. Holding a leaf-skeleton hand fans or conical hats is not only holding a handicraft, but also holding a new life cycle for a leaf, where nature is cherished with profound respect.