From discarded soda and beer cans, a locksmith in Ho Chi Minh City has crafted stunning Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns, attracting curious onlookers and generating high income.

Lanterns made from soda cans and beer tins

While strolling down Nguyen Phi Khanh Street in Tan Dinh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Van, a 26-year-old local, and her boyfriend were captivated by unique, glimmering lanterns swaying in the breeze.

Intrigued, they stopped to take a closer look and were delighted to learn that the colorful lanterns were entirely handmade from empty soda and beer cans.

The man behind these eye-catching creations is Nguyen Van Tuan, a 56-year-old locksmith who has worked in Tan Dinh for over 30 years.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Tuan worked from a sidewalk spot on Tran Quang Khai Street. During lockdown, with work at a standstill, he often watched entertainment videos on social media.

One day, he stumbled across a tutorial on how to make simple lanterns using discarded cans. Curious and with time to spare, he gave it a try.

Tuan selected clean, undented aluminum cans, which he carefully washed, outlined, and then cut using scissors or knives. He used pliers to bend the strips and shape the body of the lanterns.

The most difficult part, he said, was forming decorative stars. He had to slice cans into uniformly sized pieces, then meticulously shape each five-pointed star by hand.

“At first, I only made small table lanterns that could spin in the wind. But I found that too simple, so I started experimenting with more elaborate designs,” Tuan explained.

He soon began crafting spherical lanterns made by assembling multiple identical five-pointed stars. To enhance their beauty, he added colorful wire frames, smaller decorative stars, and suspended them in clusters.

Eventually, he started linking smaller lanterns together to create large, multi-tiered pieces - some made from as many as 40 cans.

From street craft to seasonal bestseller

Though locksmithing is his trade, Tuan now makes lanterns every day, as the work is time-consuming. He often sits from morning until midnight cutting and shaping aluminum.

A small, simple lantern made from a single can takes about an hour to make. More complex spherical designs, built from many star pieces, take seven to eight days. The most elaborate multi-tier lanterns can take up to a month to complete.

His lanterns are in high demand during the Mid-Autumn Festival. “The work isn’t physically hard, but it takes a lot of time. That’s why, every year right after the festival, I start making lanterns for the next one. If I waited until the eighth lunar month, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with orders,” he said.

In past years, his creations have been a hot commodity - often selling out completely.

Most of Tuan’s buyers come from other cities and provinces, purchasing his lanterns as festival decorations. Because the lanterns are durable, weather-resistant, and lit by LED lights, many customers also use them as home or café décor, or for garden displays.

Prices vary based on the number of cans used, the frame structure, and decorative elements. Tuan typically makes lanterns using between 1 and 24 cans, with prices ranging from 40,000 VND to 1 million VND (approx. 1.60 USD to 40 USD). The most complex designs made from 40 cans cost around 1.6 million VND (about 65 USD).

For this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival, Tuan plans to craft around 200 lanterns. Many are already pre-ordered. Despite rising interest, he doesn’t accept too many orders, worried he won’t be able to finish them in time.

“Foreign tourists also love these lanterns and often buy them as souvenirs. I enjoy this work not only because it brings me joy and income, but also because it contributes to environmental protection,” Tuan said.

Ha Nguyen