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| Ms. Thuan Loc (right) introducing the product of mother-of-pearl inlaid shell bowls to the customers |
An Elegant Keepsake
The owner of Dai Nghia Fine Arts Sculpture Workshop is Ms. Le Thi Thuan Loc (born in 1991), a young artisan who has chosen a slower path amid an ever-quickening pace of life, preserving and renewing a traditional craft through steady, creative dedication.
Inside that small workshop, artisans quietly work day and night to create artistic pieces with high practical value; they are bowls crafted from coconut shells inlaid with seashells, eggshells, and shimmering mother-of-pearl.
Born into a family with a tradition in woodworking; however, Ms. Loc initially chose a different path at the threshold of adulthood, enrolling at Hue University of Education to study early childhood education. Yet life led her in another direction, far removed from the world of young children. She found her calling in crafting mother-of-pearl inlaid coconut shell bowls, coconut shell earrings, and rustic souvenirs distinguished by their simple, intimate beauty.
Hue has long been renowned for mother-of-pearl inlay, a traditional craft historically associated with communal houses, temples, lacquered panels, and parallel sentences. Over time, the craft faced the risk of fading as market demand shifted. Through the creative vision of a young artisan, Loc has helped “revive” the tradition, bringing mother-of-pearl inlay out of its classical settings and into contemporary life.
Sharing about how she came to the craft, Ms. Loc said: “I was always concerned by the fact that large quantities of coconut shells, seashells, and eggshells are discarded every day. Meanwhile, Hue possesses a valuable treasury of traditional crafts, especially mother-of-pearl inlay. So why not bring mother-of-pearl inlay out of its classical settings and let it live in products that are close to contemporary life? That was the motivation that set me on this journey”.
Mother-of-pearl inlay once faced the risk of fading as tastes changed and younger generations showed less interest in the craft. Today, at Loc’s workshop, the tradition is revived in recycled products and souvenirs. Mother-of-pearl inlaid coconut shell bowls are created through multiple meticulous handcrafted stages: selection, sanding, shaping, cutting, inlaying, and polishing. The motifs are entirely decorated and painted with mineral pigments, colors made from finely ground stone, which are traditionally used in lacquer and gilded inlay. Every step is done by hand, demanding patience and exceptional craftsmanship from the artisans.
Each month, Ms. Loc’s workshop produces over 1,000 bowls and 2,000 pairs of coconut shell earrings, with no two pieces alike. Natural materials such as coconut shells, eggshells, and seashells carry their own imprint of real life. Each is inherently unique, differing in size, tone, and grain pattern. All are treasured, reflecting the philosophy Loc upholds in her craft: “Nothing that nature has given should be discarded”.
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| Each coconut shell bowl is crafted with meticulous care and precision by skilled artisans |
Creative Youth
In her early days with mother-of-pearl inlay, Ms. Loc faced numerous challenges: “From mastering inlay techniques on new materials and covering material costs to finding an outlet for the products. However, it was my love for Hue and the desire to create a souvenir refined enough for visitors to take home, rustic enough to evoke memories, and distinctive enough to stand apart that kept me moving forward on my journey of creativity and business,” said she.
Currently, her workshop offers stable employment to 6 workers, each earning about VND 6 million per month. Notably, she also enables nearly 20 women with disabilities to work from home, helping them generate additional income. For Ms. Loc, sharing employment opportunities, especially with vulnerable groups, is an integral part of her creative process and building her own brand.
In reality, the journey of building Dai Nghia brand has never been easy. Some batches had to be remade from scratch, and at times, the market did not immediately embrace the products. Yet what concerns Ms. Loc most is how to ensure Hue’s handicrafts are not only “beautiful” but also viable in the modern marketplace. Equally important is finding ways for visitors leaving Hue to carry with them small, compact yet refined souvenirs as meaningful gifts.
From those concerns, Ms. Loc has persistently developed her brand along a sustainable path while leveraging the strengths of technology to promote her products. She currently operates 4 display outlets for Dai Nghia Fine Arts Sculpture Workshop, selling items in the walking path in the Western quarter and along major tourist streets, while also supplying wholesale to souvenir shops nationwide.
More importantly, each product placed in a customer’s hands tells a story about the origins of its recycled materials, about Hue’s mother-of-pearl inlay tradition, and about the skillful hands of the city’s artisans.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, Vice Chairman in charge of the City Cooperative Alliance, commented: “This is a highly commendable direction, as young people are exploiting the value of Hue’s traditional crafts while integrating creative thinking and environmentally friendly elements. Recycled products associated with traditional crafts, such as mother-of-pearl inlaid coconut shell bowls and earrings, represent an appropriate path for building Hue brand name. The Cooperative Alliance will continue to accompany and support promotional efforts and market connections so that Hue-branded products like those of Ms. Le Thi Thuan Loc can reach further and access broader markets”.