The Original
When I was little, I loved to watch my grandfather meticulously carve bamboo toys for me—tiny flutes and spinning tops shaped with patient hands. Those quiet afternoons, filled with the scent of fresh bamboo, are among my dearest memories. On a club field trip, I visited a bamboo village outside Hanoi where skilled artisans transform bamboo into beautiful handmade toys. For a moment, I felt like I was four again, playing in my grandparents’ yard on a warm summer afternoon. Yet, knowing about the disappearance of those artisans saddened me deeply — and, almost unintentionally, sparked a quiet determination to protect these beautiful traditions. That was how Tre Moc was born.
Starting
Starting Tre Moc was far from easy. Many artisans doubted whether bamboo toys could survive in today’s market. Others hesitated to trust a young student with “modern ideas.” I spent weeks visiting homes, listening to their concerns, and learning every step of the craft myself to earn their trust.
There were times our prototypes failed, or when buyers canceled at the last minute—but each setback only deepened my resolve. Eventually, through collaboration with artisan Nguyen Van Thac, we trained 17 local craftsmen, refined product designs based on families’ feedback, and partnered with two travel agencies to host eco-tours that reconnected visitors to the craft.
Result
We sold 200+ toys and earned 20 million VND, but more than that, we brought pride back to the artisans’ hands. This journey—from the hesitant early days of founding the project, to long trips across craft villages, to the tears of joy when we finally saw our efforts come to life—has been one of the most precious experiences of my high school years, filled with emotions, stories, and lessons I will forever cherish.
