Students from a university in Ho Chi Minh City are turning lotus, banana, and banyan leaves into special bowls and dishes.

At the 2024 Green Growth Product & Service Exhibition held on Nguyen Hue Walking Street earlier this week, a group of students from the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City attracted visitors to their booth with creative dishes and bowls made from leaves.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Hung Anh, director of the Institute of Environmental Science, Technology and Management at the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City, said students first began working on the idea about five years ago.

In the past, they have produced similar products for export made from spathes.

To make dishes and bowls from leaves, the students first clean the leaves before pressing them together under high pressure and temperatures. This helps ensure the final produce will be water, mold, and bacteria resistant. The durability of each product is similar to that of single-use plastic bowls and dishes.

Bowls and dishes made from leaves are waterproof and can decompose quickly. Photo: Nhat Xuan / Tuoi Tre

Anh said the group is able to create products in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are also able to emboss brand logos on their goods.

The students’ primary goal is to replace the single-use plastic products used at large events, restaurants, tourist sites, and food festivals with those made from leaves.

The production of bowls and dishes from leaves is simple and easy. Small household businesses can make their own, allowing for a boost to the local economy and toward awareness for environmental protection, according to Hung Anh.

Resorts and homestays can use these products to promote themselves to international tourists as they can prove their distinction and environmental protection commitment.

Compared with ceramic dishes and bowls, those made from leaves are more environmentally-friendly as the production of ceramic dishes and bowls releases carbon dioxide and the products themselves are extremely hard to decompose.

Comparatively, those made from leaves can decompose completely within a short period of time and be turned into organic fertilizer.

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