The story of Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha and her family vividly illustrates how traditional artisans respond to changing market realities while safeguarding their craft and supporting local livelihoods.
Born into a family with generations of experience in lacquerware, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha faced significant challenges when the sector was severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Rather than retreat, she chose to innovate.
Leveraging refined lacquer techniques, she adapted them for ceramic piggy banks and annual zodiac figurines, opening a new chapter for the workshop.
The strategic transition enabled the family to overcome a challenging period while revitalizing Thu Dau Mot artistic ceramics. The products have gradually gained a stronger foothold in the market and won favorable responses from consumers. A stable market not only sustains their family but also provides steady jobs and income for about ten local workers, she shared.
As the Lunar New Year approaches, the workshop supplying the Year of Horse 2026 market is alive with activity. From shaping and firing to lacquering and final finishing, each stage is carried out with urgency and precision, bringing the ceramic horse figurines to life with increasing detail and expression.
Combining lacquer-inspired colorwork with a signature glossy finish on Thu Dau Mot ceramics, the products transcend simple Tet decorations to become affordable works of folk art, priced between VND60,000 (US$2.27) and just over VND100,000 (US$3.8).
As the Lunar New Year approaches, horse figurines from the local pottery region are reaching markets nationwide, symbolizing hopes for a peaceful and prosperous new year and highlighting the resilience of traditional handicrafts amid rising industrial competition.
>>>Below are some photos featuring the process behind the finished products.
