Weaving a Sustainable Future

In Vietnam, the lotus plant holds a special place in the nation's culture and economy. This versatile plant, which thrives in the Mekong Delta's wetlands, is harvested for various purposes, including: medicinal herbs, cosmetics, and food. However, the lotus stem has yet to be fully utilized. Indeed, fibers extracted from the stem can be transformed into high-quality textile products, known as lotus silk.

With the financial support of The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF), the International Union for Conservation of Nature Vietnam (IUCN) has launched a three-year project to develop a sustainable value chain of products from lotus silk. This initiative focuses on developing lotus silk-making as a sustainable occupation for local communities, creating more jobs, especially for women. It also aims to improve the livelihoods for local farmers, expand flood storage to reduce flood risk, and restore some of the 4 billion cubic metres of water that was lost between 2000 and 2011 in the Mekong Delta through lotus cultivation.

Coca-Cola Vietnam is proud to partner with IUCN in organising a project kick-off to introduce the significance of the project to relevant stakeholders. This project is expected to benefit around 1,000 people directly and indirectly, including: farmers, artisans, workers, staff of nature reserves, and other stakeholders.