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| A customer tries eggshell inlay, one of the steps in making lacquer paintings |
A source of inspiration
Using eggshell fragments that might seem fit only for the trash, Minh Vuong, a visitor from Da Nang City, carefully applies lacquer and glue to piece together a painting of a celestial horse. “At Nghia Collection, I got to inlay eggshells myself, one of the stages of lacquer painting, and make a few other souvenirs too. Through that, I came to better understand the cultural value of this land,” said he.
Nghia Collection combines recycled materials with traditional handicraft techniques. Fabric scraps, old denim, coconut shells and scrap wood are sorted and crafted into keychains, jewelry, wooden figurines and souvenirs. The value of these old materials is enhanced through the way they are processed and designed, and through the craftsperson’s labor.
Ngo Manh Quan, who has more than 10 years of experience in the craft at Nghia Collection, shared: “Pieces of fabric that seem to have reached the end of their life are gathered and sorted by us, and given a new form, becoming lanterns that carry the colors, memories and joy of the Mid-Autumn season. For Nghia Collection, recycling isn’t only a story about materials. It’s also a way for something old to begin again, for a pair of hands to be given a chance, and for a story to continue being told”.
Going beyond fashion items and small accessories, Nghia Collection also brings humble materials such as sand, pebbles, do paper, colored craft paper, wood and coconut shells into its craftsmanship, and supplies handmade notebooks and silk hair accessories to restaurants, hotels and major events. As a result, scrap is no longer a burden on the environment but a source of creative inspiration.
Telling the story of the craft and creating livelihoods
Through the ‘Handicrafts tell Hue’s story’ campaign and the ‘Every product – A living QR code’ initiative, inanimate objects have come to tell stories of traditional culture. Alongside these, campaigns such as ‘Artisans on air’ are working to close the gap between craftspeople and the public. The appeal of these distinctly local products has drawn many domestic visitors and international tourists from France, the United States, Italy, China and elsewhere to Nghia Collection, which they treat as a stop to experience making handicrafts imbued with Hue’s cultural identity.
Rather than keeping its cultural story to itself, Nghia Collection is actively ‘taking Hue far and wide’. The business plans to open additional retail locations in Da Nang and Hoi An. Most recently, it brought Hue’s cultural story to Hoi An, hosting a Mid-Autumn lantern-making workshop with historical storytelling for 150 children, helping nurture a love and appreciation for heritage in the younger generation.
Beyond cultural storytelling, the business also aims to create livelihoods for artists, disadvantaged people and people with disabilities. Under the motto ‘Trade scrap for Nghia Collection’s products’, the model currently provides regular employment for several artists and about 10 seasonal workers. Thanks to the skillful hands, patience and passion of these special artisans, waste materials have been transformed into unique works.
Truong Viet Loi, a manager at Nghia Collection, said: “The recycling story here isn’t just about making practical products. It’s also about our wish to turn each product into a work of art with unique value, and to create sustainable jobs for the community”.
From collected materials, the artisans create products that can be used, given as gifts, or become part of a hands-on experience. Each item therefore carries the labor of the craftsperson and the cultural story the business wants to share with buyers.