Discover Vietnam’s 34-Step Spun Bamboo Craft Magic
Spun bamboo (also known as coiled bamboo) is a traditional Vietnamese craft where thin bamboo strips are precisely coiled, shaped, and lacquered into beautiful bowls and housewares. This 800-year-old technique originated as an affordable alternative to ceramic or metal utensils and has been handed down through generations of artisans. This technique has been gaining in popularity, due to its natural beauty, durability, low cost, and its ecofriendly nature.
The term spun bamboo comes from the technique used in its construction, where thin strips of bamboo are spun on a wheel and pressed together into a variety of shapes – usually bowls, plates and other circular containers. The variety of bamboo products made using this technique is expanding year after year. Its really impressive that bamboo, world renowned as a sustainable and durable quick-growing grass, has the versatility to be transformed into something seemingly so different, by the skilled hands of artisans!
Read on, if you’d like to learn more about the step-by step process artisans use to turn this durable and eco-friendly material into beautiful and functional homewares.
Step-by Step Process of Making Spun bamboo
Materials Selection and Harvesting
Artisans begin by selecting mature bamboo (typically 3–5 years old) from managed groves. In Vietnam, bamboo is abundant. Sturdy species like Luong bamboo are favored for their flexibility and strength. Harvesting is done carefully to ensure the plant regrows (only the stalk is cut, leaving the root intact) since bamboo replenishes quickly.
Curing and Treatment
The cut bamboo sections are soaked in water or mud for ~90 days to leach out sugars and prevent insect infestation and mold. This traditional soaking (often in village ponds or vats) is crucial for durability. Afterward, the bamboo is dried thoroughly under the sun until bone-dry. Proper drying (sometimes assisted by heated rooms in the rainy season) ensures the bamboo won’t crack later. This curing stage is time-consuming but mostly passive – the bamboo needs about 3 months in soaking and sun-drying combined.
Splitting and Preparing Strips
Once dry, each bamboo tube is split into multiple strips using a knife or machete. Artisans trim away the tough green outer skin and the pithy inner layer, yielding flexible middle-layer slats. These slats are further sliced to the required width (commonly 1–4 cm) depending on the product’s size. For example, narrow strips (1–2 cm) are used for small bowls, while wider strips (3–4 cm) suit large bowls or vases. Craftsmen must be very skilled in this step – each strip should have uniform thickness and width for an even coil. In traditional villages like Phu Vinh, artisans are renowned for splitting bamboo into remarkably fine, even strips using simple hand tools.
Bending and Coiling
The bamboo strips are then made flexible by curving them. In the past this was done by hand; today a simple hand-cranked machine or jig is often used to bend strips into curved ribbons. Shallow grooves may be carved along the strip to help it bend and to hold glue better. Each strip is coated in glue (historically natural glues or resin, now usually a non-toxic PVA glue) and manually wound into a tight spiral, much like rolling a mat.
The artisan then “spins” the strip outward, layer by layer, to form a flat coiled disc that will become the bowl’s base. This coiling is done entirely by hand, often on a turntable or just on a flat surface, shaping the bamboo much like a potter forms clay. The glued coil is secured with an outer mold or steel ring to hold its shape while the glue sets.
Molding into Shape
While the coiled bamboo disc is still slightly pliable (half-dry), it is pressed and formed into the desired shape using molds. Artisans place the coil on a pre-made mold – commonly a wooden, ceramic, or cement form – and gently bend or press it until it conforms to the mold’s shape (such as a bowl, plate, or vase profile). They might use a positive and negative mold (like two bowl-shaped forms) or hand-press the coil into a single bowl mold.
The shaped piece is then left on the mold to fully dry and harden, often sun-drying for several hours or days. After drying, it retains the mold’s shape. At this point, the piece (sometimes called a “bamboo blank” or base) is structurally formed but has a rough surface and still shows the coiled texture.
Reinforcing and Drying
The unmolded bamboo bowl is next strengthened with natural sealants. Artisans in Vietnam often dip the entire piece into a mixture of glue and cashew-nut oil (a traditional waterproofing oil). The cashew oil mixture penetrates the bamboo, adding strength and resistance to moisture or pests. Excess is shaken off, and the piece is dried again – either under sun or in a drying chamber for several hours – until its moisture content falls very low (often ~14% or even down to 6–8% in modern kilns). This careful drying ensures the product is stable even in different climates.
Trimming and Smoothing
Once fully dried and hardened, the bowl’s surface is refined. Any excess glue or uneven ridges from the coiling are trimmed off using a curved knife or hand plane, shaving the surface to an even thickness. Artisans check for gaps, cracks, or nail holes in the bamboo coil; these are filled with a paste of glue mixed with fine stone powder. This stone-powder filler (and sometimes sawdust or clay in traditional methods) helps create a smooth, seamless surface and adds weight and strength to the bowl.
After the filler dries, the bowl is hand-sanded with progressively finer sandpaper. Sanding is repeated multiple times, often alternating with additional filler applications, until the form is very smooth and the spiral pattern is subtle. This stage is labor-intensive – artisans might sand and fill a piece 3–5 cycles in traditional workshops to eliminate roughness and minor imperfections.
Lacquering and Finishing
The final step is applying finish for beauty and protection. Traditionally, natural lacquer (from the sap of the lacquer tree) was used, building up many thin coats. In modern production, clear or colored polyurethane (PU) or NC lacquer is often sprayed or brushed on in a dedicated painting room. Artisans typically apply multiple coats of lacquer, with sanding between each coat, to achieve a flawless surface. For a colored finish, pigmented paint or lacquer is added in the later coats.
High-end items may get up to 10+ coats of paint and lacquer, each hand-sanded for a satin feel. Some pieces receive artistic finishes – for example, staining to show the natural bamboo grain, or traditional Vietnamese lacquer art motifs. In some cases, the entire bamboo bowl is used as a base for elaborate lacquerwork (covering it completely with color, mother-of-pearl inlay, or eggshell mosaic). Finally, the piece is polished to the desired sheen (matte or glossy) and left to cure.
Time and Labor
Making a spun bamboo bowl is highly labor-intensive and involves many stages of hand-craftsmanship. From raw material to finished product typically takes a minimum of 20–30 days per piece, not counting the initial 3–4 month bamboo curing period. Each stage often involves specialized artisans: for instance, village families might do the coiling and molding, then a central workshop handles the lacquering and finishing.
It’s common in Vietnam for semi-finished bowls to be made in home workshops, then collected for final finishing in a factory to ensure consistent quality. In total, dozens of manual steps (Vietnamese makers cite ~34 steps and multiple quality checks are required to produce this type of bamboo products. This careful, hands-on process is what gives spun bamboo ware its superb craftsmanship and unique character.
Growing Popularity in Homewares
Spun bamboo products are experiencing a surge in popularity globally, aligned with trends favoring sustainable and natural décor. Eco-conscious consumers appreciate that these bowls and trays are made from a renewable resource and support traditional craft. Each piece has a story – handmade in a village – which adds intangible value versus a factory-made item. In the homewares industry, bamboo has become a buzzword for green products, and Vietnam is at the forefront as a supplier.
These products are marketed as lightweight, sturdy, and environmentally friendly – perfect for the modern home. Designers also love spun bamboo for its combination of rustic texture and fine finish. The visible coiled grain inside a bowl gives a unique pattern, while the exterior can be sleekly lacquered in trendy colors. This fusion of tradition and modern aesthetics makes spun bamboo items versatile for any interior style.
In summary, spun bamboo crafting in Vietnam is a remarkable mixture of traditional skill, cultural heritage, and modern sustainable production. From the careful selection of bamboo and months of handwork, to the final lacquered shine on a salad bowl, each step reflects a harmony of nature and craft. This age-old Vietnamese technique has evolved to meet today’s standards while keeping its soul intact – making coiled bamboo bowls and housewares not just functional items, but carriers of a story of human ingenuity and ecological wisdom.
At Natural Artisan Home, we have begun creating our selection of natural spun bamboo bowls, but our current offerings are just the beginning! Stay tuned as we add more products and designs to our expanding collection of spun bamboo products.