 Bao La Bamboo and Rattan Weaving Cooperative has become a must-see place for any visitors to Hue (Photo: Thanh Giang/VNP) |
For generations, every household in Bao La village has engaged in making household items. When a crop season ends, the locals begin to weave bamboo and rattan products. Bao La consists of six hamlets, each specializing in a particular type of product. Cho hamlet makes baskets and sieves. Dong hamlet makes large baskets and nets. Chùa hamlet makes flat baskets. Dinh and Hop hamlet produce various types of baskets. Cau hamlet makes flat trays, panniers, and carrying baskets.
Vo Van Dinh, Director of the Bao La Bamboo and Rattan Weaving Cooperative, said, “Although many craft villages in Vietnam make bamboo and rattan baskets, Bao La products stand out because of their unique style, attention to detail, and finer craftsmanship.”
Producing exquisite handicrafts to be sold as souvenirs is a new direction for Bao La. Thai Phi Hung, an artisan with half a century of experience, designs and produces souvenir handicrafts for the Cooperative. “We use bamboo and rattan—natural, environmentally friendly materials. Every stage of the production process is done entirely by hand, crafted by skilled cooperative members and village artisans. From cutting and splitting the bamboo to weaving and adding decorative patterns, each step is manually performed with care and precision,” Hung recalled.
 Cutting and splitting bamboo is a step requiring workers’ deftness. (Photo: Thanh Giang/VNP) |
Bao La’s products are now more diverse and sophisticated, ranging from household items to finely crafted souvenirs such as lanterns and miniature models of Trang Tien bridge and Thien Mu pagoda. Woven basket sets and decorative lanterns have been recognized as a 4-star OCOP product.
Bao La's bamboo and rattan products are now sold in many countries worldwide, affirming the Vietnamese brand in the global market. These products are especially popular with exporters in Hanoi and the northern region.
Bao La earns approximately 216,000 USD a year, with monthly export revenues as high as 10,000 USD. This has created stable jobs for hundreds of local workers, according to Dinh. He noted, “The cooperative’s new designs and improved product quality are making its products increasingly popular. The result is a growing number of orders.”
Nguyen Thi Nguyen who has worked for the Bao La cooperative for a long time told VOV, "My family used to make traditional items such as baskets, trays, and sieves to sell at the Dong Ba market. Then I joined the cooperative to make souvenir products. This has allowed me to meet many people and earn additional income."
 The model of the Thai Hoa Palace within the Hue Imperial City (Citadel) made of bamboo (Photo: Thanh Giang/VNP) |
Bao La bamboo and rattan weaving village is now combining handicrafts with tourism. Visitors can explore the production process, try their hand at weaving, create their items, and shop for cute souvenirs.
Vo Van Dinh, Director of the Bao La Bamboo and Rattan Weaving Cooperative, continued, “In recent years, we’ve focused on tourism development and worked with commercial tours to boost the cooperative’s revenue and create more job opportunities for our members. We’re researching and designing smaller items to appeal to the tourists who want to try to make their own rattan products.”
Bao La is well on its way to be a regular destination for tourists exploring the traditional crafts of Thua Thien-Hue.