After losing everything in Ho Chi Minh City during the pandemic, Le Vinh Ha, born in 1994 in Dien Ban ward, Da Nang, returned home to carry on his father’s traditional craft. What began as a humble family workshop has now become an internationally recognized lantern-making business with annual revenues exceeding $82,000 USD.

Returning home to carry on the family craft

Before dedicating himself to the lantern trade, Le Vinh Ha was the owner of a coffee shop chain in Ho Chi Minh City. His business was stable and profitable until the COVID-19 pandemic brought everything crashing down. As customer numbers dwindled and revenue plummeted, he was eventually forced to shut down.

“I had it all in the city, but just a few months into the pandemic, I lost everything. My wife and I decided to return to our hometown and start over,” Ha recalled.

Back home, he reunited with his father, Le Vinh Cuc, 63, who had over 25 years of experience in handmade lantern production. Inspired, Ha began learning the craft from his father while also studying techniques in Hoi An’s Old Town. Leveraging his family’s local connections, he gathered skilled artisans and gradually established his own workshop, Thien Dang.

The production process at Thien Dang is fully in-house, starting from the selection of bamboo to the finished lantern. The workshop is alive with the rhythmic slicing of bamboo and the faint scent of freshly dried wood. Each bamboo slat is finely carved to precise uniformity, ready for the next step.

Mr. Cuc oversees the slat-carving stage, considered the "soul" of the lantern. “Quality bamboo must be thick, straight, flexible, and durable. After carving, the slats are soaked and kiln-dried to prevent termites and ensure long-lasting strength,” he explained.

Once the bamboo frame is complete, layers of colorful silk are stretched tightly and carefully glued, creating radiant and durable lanterns from simple materials: bamboo, fabric, and glue.

To avoid weather-related disruptions, Ha invested in a kiln dryer and secured his own bamboo supply, ensuring the workshop can operate year-round.

Expanding markets through persistence

Ha’s biggest initial challenge was finding a market. He tirelessly promoted his products at trade fairs, exhibitions, on social media, and through direct customer engagement. Step by step, the family’s handmade lanterns gained recognition and a steady customer base.

Today, his workshop produces over 10,000 lanterns per year in various shapes, sizes, and colors. Customers include restaurants, hotels, and resorts in Vietnam, as well as international buyers from the United States, Chile, Colombia, Malaysia, and more.

Thanks to this diverse and stable customer base, the workshop generates more than $82,000 USD in annual revenue. More importantly, it provides stable jobs for over 20 local workers, most of whom are women and elderly individuals, with an average monthly salary of around $240 USD.

Lantern artisan Le Thi Hoa, 59, who has been with the workshop since the beginning, shared: “I used to farm, but income was unpredictable. Now, making lanterns gives me steady work and flexible hours, making life much easier.”

To ensure quality, new workers undergo 5–6 months of hands-on training. “I don’t just want to maintain production,” Ha said, “I want to help locals learn a trade, increase their income, and preserve the traditions of our hometown.”

In 2024, Thien Dang lanterns were certified as OCOP 3-star products, marking a major turning point for the brand. “Our lanterns are made from uniform, mature bamboo slats; the frames are collapsible for easy storage and transport; the fabric comes in a variety of designs and colors; and customers can choose from many shapes and sizes,” Ha explained enthusiastically.

From local workshop to cultural destination

Not stopping at manufacturing, the 9X entrepreneur is also combining production with tourism. He has begun developing hands-on workshops for visitors to experience lantern making firsthand and take home the products they create.

“Customers don’t just buy a lantern, they take home memories and a cultural experience. It’s a way to build lasting relationships and promote traditional crafts internationally,” he said.

According to Pham Van Ba, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Dien Ban Ward, Ha’s workshop not only contributes to household income but also plays a role in creating jobs for the local community.

The local government is currently conducting a survey to develop the “Dien Ban Tourism Development Project” to 2030, with Ha’s lantern workshop under consideration for inclusion in the broader plan.

Ha Nam