Making a Conical Hat
Years have passed since the advent of modernization and the rise of industrial machines. How a wide range of traditional items are crafted had changed significantly as they are now created with the assistance of commercialized machineries. But despite all that, Nón Lá had remained an entirely hand-made craft even up to present. Apparently, no machine is worthy of replacing the remarkable skill and mastery of the traditional techniques inherited throughout generations of craftsmen who are capable of creating the most elegant and delicate Nón Lá you will ever find.
The simplest materials such as dry leaves and a conical frame are required to construct a conical hat. The leaves of palm trees are considered most ideal and a perfect conical frame is made from bamboo. Young green palm leaves, after selection, are allowed to dry under the sun. The warmer the sun gets, the easier the leaves wither. The craftsmen then uses a baked steel bar to iron the dried leaves, heated just enough to flatten the leaves but not burning them which causes its color to turn yellow. On the other hand, if the bar is not hot enough or had cooled down upon touching the leaves, it causes the dried leaves to wrinkle after the ironing process. After they are flattened, the leaves are sewn on a conical frame consisting of 16 round bamboo rims. Sixteen had been found to be the perfect number after years of studying and testing along with the practical experience of skillful artisans. That had become an unchangeable principle when constructing a perfect-fitting and delicate hat.
Looking at how a hat is constructed may seem very simple, but in reality, it is not. A well-made Nón Lá requires painstaking precision of the maker owed not only from talent itself, but also from numerous years of experience in the craft. It may be hard to believe, but every single needlework is steadily sewn in equal spaces even without measuring. The connection of sewing nylon threads is skillfully hidden beneath the minute and even stitches. There is no doubt how the step-by-step process could be very time consuming and requires so much patience from the craftsman
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