know-how

ekoboecology & design

SUPPLYBamboo is harvested from forests in central Vietnam and floats to reach remote artisan villages down river.

TREATMENTThe bamboo poles are immersed in rivers for a period of 4-5 months. This process increases the lifespan of the raw material by strengthening it and naturally promotes insect protection.

DRYING Bamboo sections are retrieved from their river bath and allowed to dry slowly in the open air.

CUTTINGIn traditional fashion, machetes are used to cut the dry bamboo into slats of uniform length, width and thickness.

FLEXIONThe slats are notched manually or by using a small hand-operated machine to give them greater flexibility.

ASSEMBLYEnormous dexterity is required to carefully wind each of the strips.

SHAPEThe time-honored stone mold is used to complete the form.

THE BINDERArtisans apply resin made from cashew tree pulp to strengthen the product. It is then air-dried.

PLANINGArtisans scrape and plane to achieve a uniform, smooth surface.

SANDINGSanding the interior and exterior of the product several times using stone powder ensures the product is waterproof.

COMPOSITION OF THE LACQUER

The traditional lacquer consists of four main ingredients:

+ Resin: a combination of an extract from the Sumac (lacquer tree) and cashew pulp that serves as a bonding material

+ Stone powder: used with different weights of sandpaper for progressively finer stages of coating

+ Bamboo sawdust: mixed with resin to form an elastic dough used to smooth ridges in the product

+ alluvial soil exclusively from Red River: acts as a paint binder. This mixture yields a solid composition that can be polished, is waterproof and can withstand temperature changes over time.

PREPARATION OF THE SUPPORTThe first layers of lacquer applied to the bamboo support are smooth and water-tight.

THE STRENGTHENING OF THE PRODUCTAfter the first 2 layers of lacquer artisans apply a fabric cloth to strengthen the object.

THE LACQUER PROCESS The craftspeople then apply ten layers of lacquer alternating between steps of lacquering, sanding (with clean water and sandpaper) and drying. This meticulous work can last from 30-60 days depending on the size and complexity of product.

PAINTINGThe artisan then applies 2 coats of finishing paint which is the only foodsafe finish compatible with traditional lacquer (black coating). It is accepted by European (EN71-3) and US standards.

FINAL PACKINGThe products are carefully packaged in recycled paper and cardboard directly in the village.

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