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| Phan Thi Thuan (left) is taking fibers off lotus stalks |
Phan Thi Thuan (Phuong Xa, My Duc, Hanoi) is not an unfamiliar name because she has been many times well noted for her useful inventions about silk such as making silkworms weave by themselves or being the first person who makes fabric from lotus fibers.
Born in a family with four generations of making silk, from an early age, she helped her family with growing mulberries and raising worms. She has been in love with golden fibers for more than 70 years now.
After over 5 years of research, development and introduction of high-end products made of silk from lotus fibers, her brand name has been now recognized. In addition to scarves, she has created many other helpful products such as silk face masks, silk facial towel, ao dai, etc.
“Lotus silk is woven with fibers pulled out from lotus stalks, which used to be considered the useless part of the lotus plant. This kind of silk is among the most expensive in the world because it is all handmade and requires sophisticated steps the hardest of which is pulling out fiber threads from the lotus stalk,” said Phan Thi Thuan.
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| Phan Thi Thuan is introducing products made from lotus fibers |
According to Thuan, in order to obtain nice white fibers, it is necessary to wash lotus stalks clean and take off thorns carefully. She first cuts a line around the lotus stalk with a knife, then twists and pulls lotus fiber threads out of the stalk.
That must be done carefully so as not to damage threads inside, which are fine and fragile. Lotus stalks must be processed within 24 hours or they will dry out ruining their fibers.
Products made of lotus silk are durable, airy and beautiful. It can be made into bags, book covers and interior decorative stuff. But the most favorite product is scarves. However, their prices are rather high because they are all handmade. A 1,7-meter-long scarf needs 4.800 lotus stalks and takes one month to finish. Their prices range from 8-12 million dongs.
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| Taking off fiber threads from lotuses |
At Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2023 Phan Thi Thuan’s booth always attracts lots of visitors. There they can not only see hand-woven silk products but also experience the traditional process of silk making.
“I’ve dropped by many booths and seen artisans show their skills, but what impresses me most is the process of making silk from lotus fibers by Phan Thi Thuan. Her products are eye-pleasing and original,” said Nguyen Thanh Huyen, a tourist from Da Nang City.
According to Thuan, because of their high prices, products of lotus silk are mainly made to orders and for affluent customers and foreigners. She also makes use of redundant lotus stalks, contributing to reducing waste to the environment.
With the increasing demand for high-quality products, the production of lotus silk not only helps bring lotus growers benefits but also creates jobs for villagers. It also diversifies silks made in Vietnam for the market in and out of the country.