Plastic is out and natural, traditional materials are in on the HCM City fashion scene.

More and more, people are liking bags made of straw, bamboo and rattan.

The bags are sold at prices young people can afford.

Older people also like to use these natural materials to decorate their homes.

by An Phương

Traditional products made of natural materials like bamboo, rattan and rice straw have become bestsellers in HCM City, replacing items made with plastic or metal.

A modern touch added to traditional designs on fashion items like bags is increasingly popular among young adults.

In fact, bamboo, rattan and straw bags, in cross-body, messenger and tote designs, can be seen this summer season.

The bags can be easily found at street vendors in the heart of the city, with prices ranging from VNĐ100,000 to VNĐ700,000 (US$4-30).

The trendy items are carried at Lá Đan, The Craft House and other local fashion places at higher prices.

“I initially bought this for my summer vacation in Đà Nẵng coastal city. However, my straw bag is so convenient that I decided to buy more in different styles for everyday use,” Mạnh Cương, 21, told Việt Nam News.

“I love straw bags because they are also a fashion piece that is trending worldwide. Many well-known local and international fashionistas are seen with straw bags these days. I saw their photos on Instagram, and it was inspiring!” he added.

Tuấn Đức, editor at a magazine, said that in addition to its green aesthetic and cute design, the affordable prices of the bags are also appealing to young people.

“I’ve bought five bags so far, and aim to buy more. A medium-sized one for vacation, a large one for work, and three others for casual dates,” he said.

A shop owner on District 1’s Nguyễn Thiệp Street said that she sells about 20 – 35 bags daily.

“Natural-material bags are not only appealing to locals, but also foreigners from China, Japan and Australia,” she said, adding that she always updates new designs to meet the growing demand.

“Round bags with short handles are in vogue,” she said.

Đức predicted that the fashion trend would last a long time as people these days tend to love anything that is a combination of tradition and modernity.

Mood booster

While young people seem to enjoy fashion items, families are interested in home decor made of natural materials.

Lê Mai Ngân, marketer at a bamboo and rattan shop in Bình Thạnh District, said that locals these days earn higher incomes and are more environmentally conscious, enjoying not only fashion but interior decor made with natural materials.

Architect Mai Công Quân, a resident of Gò Vấp District, agreed with Ngân, adding that a touch of bamboo in one’s home can be a mood booster, which helps reduce house owners’ stress.

Most importantly, natural materials are environmentally friendly, he added.

According to some companies specialising in production and trade of bamboo and rattan items, these products are exported to many foreign markets, including Japan and Taiwan.

In HCM City, Củ Chi and Hóc Môn are among several districts that sell a lot of natural products.

Despite their quality products, many shops in these two districts do not know how to promote their products effectively.

Hồng Thu, a shop owner in Hóc Môn, said that most customers who buy her products online were not aware that their purchases were made in the city.

Thu said she decided to launch an online shop dedicated to natural products because of her love for them since she was a child.

She hopes that local products from her hometown will be popular among locals.

Recently, tourism agencies in HCM City stepped up efforts to promote traditional craft villages, one of which focuses on products made of bamboo, rattan and straw.

GLOSSARY

The bags can be easily found at street vendors in the heart of the city, with prices ranging from VNĐ100,000 to VNĐ700,000 (US$4-30).

Vendors are people who sell things in the street and in other public places.

The trendy items are carried at Lá Đan, The Craft House and other local fashion places at higher prices.

If something is trendy, it has suddenly become very popular but may not stay popular for long.

“I initially bought this for my summer vacation in Đà Nẵng coastal city.

Initially means “at first”.

A vacation is a holiday.

However, my straw bag is so convenient that I decided to buy more in different styles for everyday use,” Mạnh Cương, 21, told Việt Nam News.

Convenient means fitting in with your plans and routines.

“Many well-known local and international fashionistas are seen with straw bags these days.”

Fashionistas are people who follow fashion.

“I saw their photos on Instagram, and it was inspiring!” he added.

If something is inspiring it makes you want to go out and do something positive.

Tuấn Đức, editor at a magazine, said that in addition to its green aesthetic and cute design, the affordable prices of the bags are also appealing to young people.

An  editor is the person in charge of a publication.

Aesthetic means pretty.

If  something is appealing to young people, young people would find it attractive.

 “Round bags with short handles are in vogue,” she said.

“In vogue” means “in fashion”.

Đức predicted that the fashion trend would last a long time as people these days tend to love anything that is a combination of tradition and modernity.

To predict something means to say it will happen before it happens. Sometimes predictions are correct and sometimes they are not.

A combination means a mixture.

While young people seem to enjoy fashion items, families are interested in home decor made of natural materials.

Décor is material that decorates a place.

Lê Mai Ngân, marketer at a bamboo and rattan shop in Bình Thạnh District, said that locals these days earn higher incomes and are more environmentally conscious, enjoying not only fashion but interior decor made with natural materials.

To be environmentally conscious means to always be thinking about whether what is happening is in the interests of the environment.

Architect Mai Công Quân, a resident of Gò Vấp District, agreed with Ngân, adding that a touch of bamboo in one’s home can be a mood booster, which helps reduce house owners’ stress.

A mood booster is something that improves people’s moods.

To reduce something means to make it less.

Stress is the feeling of being under lots of pressure because people want you to do this.

Hồng Thu, a shop owner in Hóc Môn, said that most customers who buy her products online were not aware that their purchases were made in the city.

Purchases are acts of buying things.

Thu said she decided to launch an online shop dedicated to natural products because of her love for them since she was a child.

If a shop is dedicated to natural products, it gives those things all its attention and goes to great efforts to help people who want them.

However, locals are still not aware of products made in these craft villages.

To be aware of something means know about it.

WORKSHEET

State whether the following sentences are true, or false:

1. It is difficult to find bamboo, rattan and straw bags in the heart of HCM City.
2. Đà Nẵng is a city at the coast.
3. People from Australia, Japan and China have been known to like the bags.
4. Companies have not yet started exporting items made of bamboo and rattan to other countries.
5. Gò Vấp is a district of Đà Nẵng.

ANSWERS: 1. False; 2. True; 3. True; 4. False; 5. False.