Nguyen Thi Thanh Thao, a second-year student from the Da Nang-based Duy Tan University, is pursuing her dream of developing her own start-up project making clay flowers, especially creating employment for the disable in the city. 

Smiling Thao beside her created product

Over recent years, the allure of artificial flowers made from clay has attracted a great deal of attention from artistic flower lovers in Viet Nam, and Da Nang in particular, is no exception. 

This type of arts originating from Japan requires much delicacy, dexterity and creativeness.  Clay flowers are made by hand from special air-dry polymer clay or cold porcelain.

Polymer clay is a type of hardening modelling clay based on the polymer PVC, and is generally used for making arts and craft items.  Cold porcelain is a non-toxic and easy-to-work-with material whose main components are cornstarch and white glue.

With the help of scissors which are specially designed for each type of flower and special tools, the soft clay is cut and formed into parts such as petals, sepals, stamens and a peduncle. 

After drying, these parts are very precisely assembled into a whole flower.  When made by a skilful artisan, clay flowers can be very realistic.  It is the artistic skills of the makers that turn lifeless clay into beautiful flowers.

Thao happily said that her non-toxic and highly durable clay Thao uses to make flowers is sourced from Japan and Thailand.

Every month, Thao and her friends earn over 2 million VND each from sales of clay flowers, in a bid to partly cover their tuition fees and living expenses.  

The strong-willed student said her created products receive much praise and the trust from local consumers because they are attractive, affordable, easy-to-maintain and permanent.  These objects can serve as eye-catching decorations in houses or work places as well as lovely souvenirs.

This talented student has received a large number of orders from flower shops across the city.  

In an attempt to promote human resources for her project, Thao is currently enthusiastically appealing for the city’s disabled people’s associations to join in her meaningful start-up project. 

Once the recruitment of trainees is completed, Thao will directly instruct them how to make clay flowers. 

Thao is also busy seeking suitable production and business premise, and she is planning to purchase more equipment for making clay flowers in a bid to promote her business activities in the coming time.