A Second Bloom
With the project “Hue and Diem - From Mud, the Lotus Blooms Again,” Ms. Nguyen Thi Diem My (from Thuan Hoa Ward) and her team transform dried lotus pods and seeds, once considered waste, into products that carry beauty, culture, and the stories of the ancient capital.
In their workspace, dried lotus pods are neatly arranged, waiting for artisans’ hands to shape them into decorative pieces. Some pods are kept almost intact; others are dyed and combined with Phuoc Tich ceramics or Pho Trach sedge. Hardened lotus seeds are strung into bead chains. Few would imagine that these charming gifts were once discarded remnants after lotus season. That waste gave Nguyen Thi Diem My and colleagues the idea for the startup.
Hue has many lotus-growing areas associated with its landscape, history, and culture, such as Tinh Tam Lake, the lotus ponds at Emperor Gia Long’s tomb, and Ha Tri Lake in the ancient village of Phuoc Tich. The most notable is the royal white lotus, a variety closely related to the Imperial Citadel. After harvesting, the lotus stamen is used for tea, seeds for food, but large amounts of pods, leaves, and hardened seeds are left behind as byproducts. The team identified these byproducts as the main raw materials to be created into new products.
A lovely necklace made from hardened lotus seeds
The group started their experiment since April 2026. Pods are collected, cleaned, dried, and treated to increase durability while preserving their natural beauty. Three product lines gradually emerged. Moc lotus lines are used for decoration crafted from processed pods. Nghe lotus lines combined pods and leaves with Phước Tích ceramics and Pho Trach sedge. An lotus lines crafted hardened seeds into bracelets, necklaces, and spiritual items.
The uniqueness lies not only in the materials but also in their origins. Pods mainly come from Tinh Tam Lake, especially the royal white lotus with its large, naturally curved pods. Seeds are sourced from Gia Long’s tomb and Ha Tri Lake. Thus, each product carries the identity of Hue’s lotus landscapes.
Every day, the workshop collects over 3,000 pods. After processing, each pod is priced at 30,000 - 45,000 VND; seed bead chains cost around 120,000 VND. The products have begun to attract specific customer groups.
Each gift tells a story of Hue
A product crafted only from dried pod would hardly stand out. Thus, Nguyen Thi Diem My and her team decided to connect lotus with other Hue-specific materials. A pod placed in a Phước Tích ceramic vase, or a bouquet of pods paired with Pho Trach sedge, creates items that are both familiar and culturally distinctive. This combination makes a handmade product ecosystem that can tell cultural stories and satisfy the needs for decorations and souvenirs. “We don’t want customers to see just a dried lotus pod; we want them to see Hue within it,” says Nguyen Thi Diem My.
Dried lotus pods combined with Phuoc Tich ceramic vases create eye-catching decorative pieces
Behind each product is a story of raw materials areas, lotus seasons, traditional crafts, and the artisans. Young and experienced in media and technology, Nguyen Thi Diem My and her team promotes their work via Facebook and TikTok. As a result, their products are sold not only in Hue but also in souvenir shops in Hanoi, and even ordered by international customers.
For them, selling products is one thing, but helping customers understand the story behind each item is more important. The underlying narratives give their small startup an edge in the gift market, not just through design but through cultural identity.
Connecting with the community
Behind these charming small products lies a greater goal pursued by Nguyen Thi Diem My and her team: building a circular production model, creating additional livelihoods, and dedicating a portion of business achievements to the community.
Currently, the workshop employs 10 regular workers. For large orders, such as lotus bouquets or bead chains, Nguyen Thi Diem My engages local disabled workers. Tasks requiring patience, such as stringing beads, arranging bouquets, finishing products, become opportunities for more people to earn income. For these young entrepreneurs, building a brand also means creating values that return to the community.
A bouquet crafted from lotus pods and sedge products
The group continues to develop new lotus-based products such as incense buds and distilled lotus water, gradually maximizing the plant’s value. In the long run, they aim to expand raw material areas and distribution networks.
Mrs. Duong Thi Thu Thuy, Chairwoman of Hue Women’s Union praised the project “Hue and Diem – From Mud, the Lotus Blooms Again” as a promising startup with positive social impacts. It was among 15 finalists in the 2026 competition themed “Women Entrepreneurs – Digital Transformation Journey.” The project stands out for promoting Hue’s cultural strengths while combining environmental protection, economic development, job generation, and digital marketing.
In Nguyen Thi Diem My's story, the lotus is not just a beautiful flower. It is memory, culture, landscape, and an economic source if harnessed properly. From lotus pods once deemed worthless, the team creates products with new values. A decorative piece or a seed bracelet can attract customers to Tinh Tam Lake of the royal white lotus, Gia Long’s tomb, or Hue’s traditional craft villages. Young people, including Nguyen Thi Diem My, are finding ways to renew, retell, and bring familiar values of their homeland to customers in a new language. From mud, the lotus blooms again, not only on the water’s surface, but also in products that carry Hue’s story to many lands. And the journey has only just begun.