Phan Ngọc Hiếu (born 1989, Huế, Vietnam) is a graduate of the University of Economics in Đà Nẵng and has 8 years of experience in the banking industry. In 2020, Hiếu made a bold decision to leave the industry and embark on an entrepreneurial journey, founding Maypaperflower – a unique paper flower brand inspired by a 300-year-old traditional craft village.
Phan Ngọc Hiếu, Founder of Maypaperflower.
Thanh Tiên, a village in Phú Mậu, Huế, is renowned for its 300-year-old tradition of handcrafted paper flowers. Hiếu, a former bank employee, serendipitously discovered this village during a trip and instantly fell in love with the vibrant red and yellow flowers crafted by skilled artisans.
The art of making paper flowers is a intricate process. The transformation of stiff paper into delicate blooms involves numerous meticulous steps. Hiếu describes how artisans select the best bamboo branches, split and shave them into thin strips, and dry them to create the flower stems. The stamens are carefully crafted by “hollowing out” the core of cassava plants.
“What makes Thanh Tiên’s paper flowers unique is their environmental friendliness and the long-standing tradition behind them. I asked myself how we could spread the word about this craft and help it flourish,” Hiếu recounts her initial fascination with the village.
Hiếu also shares how the paper flower-making tradition in Thanh Tiên is intimately tied to the local custom of worshipping the Kitchen God. Every year, in the 10th lunar month, the village buzzes with flower production. Due to the unpredictable income, many families in Thanh Tiên relied on this craft as a supplementary source of income to farming.
“After that first visit, I started experimenting with paper flower-making, drawing inspiration from Thanh Tiên but adding my own creative twist. At first, it was just a hobby, and I gave my creations to friends. Their positive feedback encouraged me to turn my passion into a business,” shares Phan Ngọc Hiếu.
Soon after, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and Hiếu returned to her hometown of Huế with her daughter to shelter in place. This unexpected turn of events presented her with an opportunity to delve deeper into the art of paper flower-making.
“I decided to leave my banking job and focus entirely on paper flowers. It wasn’t an easy decision, as my parents disapproved, preferring that I stick to a stable career path. Thankfully, my husband and sister supported my choice. I dedicated myself to studying the craft of Thanh Tiên paper flowers, determined to create products that blended modern aesthetics with traditional techniques,” recalls Ngọc Hiếu.
Maypaperflower became the commercial name for the artistic paper flower line inspired by the village of Thanh Tiên. “May, which means May in English, is also my daughter’s name. When I started this business and created the brand, I decided to name it after her.”
Maypaperflower’s creations showcase exquisite attention to detail in every petal, stem, and stamen. They captivate with their blend of traditional techniques and contemporary art, serving as a bridge between the past and the present, infusing ancient values with modern hues, romance, and artistry.
Hiếu recounts: “It may sound unbelievable, but I started this business with just a pair of scissors at home. With each sale, I reinvested the profits into buying more materials and creating new products. Maypaperflower’s designs are inspired by Thanh Tiên but with a modern twist.”
In 2020, the sisters Phan Ngọc Hiếu and Phan Ngọc Hương entered their paper flower art under the Maypaperflower brand into a creative startup competition in Thừa Thiên – Huế province and won the top prize. The following year, in 2021, they established INNODIR Trading and Services Co., Ltd., specializing in the production and trade of traditional paper flower art.
After establishing the company, Ngọc Hiếu returned to Thanh Tiên to meet with local artisans. She sought their feedback to refine her products and discussed potential collaboration on certain production steps, as well as strategies for entering larger markets.
Simultaneously, Ngọc Hiếu began hiring and training employees for her company. She provided them with social insurance and long-term employment contracts, ensuring stable working conditions. For seasonal workers, she offered temporary contracts. To enhance productivity and meet demand, she invested in machinery to handle non-manual production steps.
“I took my products to shops and fairs to introduce them to potential customers. Fortunately, Maypaperflower was well-received from the start. Several large shopping malls in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as hotels, offices, and businesses, placed orders for paper flowers as gifts or decorative items. This positive response fueled my determination to continue innovating and expanding my market reach. And to my surprise, my first international order came from a customer I met at one of those fairs,” Hiếu recalls.
The destination of that first international order was the United Kingdom. As Hiếu rejoiced in the prospect of her paper flowers blooming beyond Vietnam’s borders, she soon realized that exporting brought additional challenges, particularly regarding product quality.
“From the origin of raw materials to the working conditions of our artisans, everything had to meet stringent standards. To comply with international market requirements, Maypaperflower sources paper from sustainably managed forests (FSC-certified) and prioritizes eco-friendly, low-waste production.”
However, Maypaperflower’s first export batch encountered a hurdle at customs, receiving a Red Channel classification.
In the context of import and export procedures, the Customs authority employs a color-coded system to manage and facilitate clearance. The Green Channel exempts goods from detailed document and physical inspections. The Yellow Channel requires a thorough examination of documents but waives physical inspection. Meanwhile, the Red Channel mandates a meticulous review of both documents and the goods themselves.
“I was terrified because it was our first export experience, and we were unfamiliar with the process. The customs officials explained that the Red Channel classification was due to the novelty of paper flower exports, requiring extra scrutiny. Thankfully, after a day, our shipment was cleared,” Ngọc Hiếu recounts.
As of now, Maypaperflower has successfully exported its first batches to five countries: the USA, South Korea, the UK, Australia, and Italy. Hiếu considers these initial steps into the international market as significant milestones, showcasing Vietnamese talent and affirming the value of Huế’s cultural heritage on a global stage.
“Maypaperflower officially began in 2021 with a humble 4-square-meter room and just two members. After a long incubation period, May has blossomed, now occupying a 350-square-meter workshop and employing nearly 20 talented individuals,” proudly shares the founder of Maypaperflower.
In late September, Phan Ngọc Hiếu, the founder of Maypaperflower, organized a series of events titled “The Paper Flower Weaver: From Traditional Craft Village to Modern Art.”
At the opening seminar, artisan Trần Phú, with over 50 years of experience in the paper flower craft of Thanh Tiên, shared his insights: “Paper flower-making is a year-long arduous process, enduring sun and rain, only to sell our creations during the short half-month period. The art of Thanh Tiên paper flowers has evolved beyond its traditional use in worship and spiritual practices. Now, it inspires young generations to create exquisite art pieces for upscale spaces and even export them abroad.”
Artisan Trần Phú (standing on the far left)
Today, Maypaperflower boasts a diverse range of 107 product codes, catering to various tastes and preferences across ages and regions. Their collection includes roses, chrysanthemums, peonies, daffodils, sunflowers, lilies, African daisies, American chrysanthemums, safflowers, lavender, carnations, white and pink lotuses, and more. The brand has received positive feedback from both domestic and international customers.
“There’s still much to improve and learn, as we’ve only been in business for three years. The key to Maypaperflower’s success lies in our respect for traditional values and our commitment to meticulousness in every aspect of our operations,” affirms Phan Ngọc Hiếu.
