VietNamNet Bridge – In the past, clay piggy banks were a familiar item in many Vietnamese families as people in the then tough economic conditions needed to save money for later use. The cute piggy banks with eye-catching colors have fallen into oblivion, sending the number of villages dependant on this craft dipping.

Clay piggies are put in a kiln. This kiln can bake 3,000-4,000 clay piggies in 12 hours.

However, the remaining villages can still survive tough times as they export products to several regional countries. A village can be found in Lai Thieu Ward, Thuan An Town, Binh Duong Province where this craft has existed for decades.

In the heyday of this village, there were more than 200 households making clay piggy banks but now the number is down to only ten.

Prices of clay piggy banks are very low, at VND5,000-7,000 per unit. Just children are their fans now.

A man covers clay piggies with a layer of white paint before they are coated with other colors.         Clay is molded into piggy banks. The first step of making clay piggy banks is to mold soil and dry it under the direct sunlight for three or four days.       People paint clay piggies at a workshop in Binh Duong. They are paid an average VND40,000 per day for decorating clay piggy banks.     Clay piggies are transported to a painting facility – Photos: Hoai Chau

Source: SGT