Under the deft hands of local artisans in the northern province of Ninh Binh, water hyacinth has become an eco-friendly material for producing sophisticated handicraft items for exports.

Water hyacinth is an aquatic plant available in Vietnamese countryside After being harvested, the long stem variety of water hyacinth is dried before making unique handicraft items such as: mat, carpet, basket, handbag and hat. Water hyacinth weaving has existed in the northern province of Ninh Binh since 2005 and robustly boomed in the last few years. Weaving or basket making is a process where the person has to be very careful about the shape and pattern of the product. Completed products are cleaned and dried before being exported. Water hyacinth items are favoured in many foreign markets including Japan, the US, Germany, Denmark due to their strength, attractiveness, and eco-friendliness.-VNA