Green Entrepreneurship from Lepironia Grass of Huế – Maries Featured in Lao Động Newspaper

In early 2026, Maries was honored to be featured in Lao Động Newspaper – the official publication of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour – with the article “Green Entrepreneurship from Lepironia Grass of Huế.”

More than a story about entrepreneurship, the article recognizes a journey of preserving heritage, developing a green economy, and spreading sustainable livelihoods for rural women in Huế.

For Maries, this is not merely a media milestone.
It is a meaningful spiritual milestone at the beginning of a new year.

When Lepironia Grass Becomes the Beginning of a Sustainable Journey

Lepironia grass, a native plant closely associated with the rural landscape of Huế, has long been part of local life as a simple and familiar material. However, transforming Lepironia grass from a “traditional household material” into handcrafted products with aesthetic, cultural, and commercial value is a long and demanding journey.

Maries chose Lepironia grass not only because it is a “green” material, but because it represents memory, livelihood, and an integral part of local life.

From raw Lepironia fibers, Maries has gradually developed handcrafted product lines such as bags, hats, and accessories—combining contemporary design with hand-painted motifs inspired by Huế’s cultural identity. Each product is entirely handmade through multiple stages, with the primary participation of rural women—the quiet keepers and transmitters of traditional crafts across generations.

Green Entrepreneurship Is Not Just About Materials, but a Mindset

In the article, Lao Động Newspaper emphasized:

“The Maries brand is a testament to the power of green entrepreneurship and digital communication when guided by a love for heritage.”

For Maries, green entrepreneurship does not stop at the use of natural materials.
It is a mindset of sustainable development:

• Respecting local ecosystems

• Avoiding resource depletion, while supporting and encouraging local people to expand Lepironia grass cultivation

• Creating stable livelihoods for local communities

• Preserving and renewing traditional crafts to align with modern life

Alongside this is digital communication—a vital tool that allows the story of Huế’s craft villages to travel further, beyond geographical boundaries, to customers both domestically and internationally.

Five Years in Reflection – and the Next Five-Year Journey

The first five years of Maries were not an easy journey. There were periods of market contraction, challenges brought by the pandemic, and moments of self-doubt—questioning whether this chosen path was too slow in a rapidly moving world.

Yet it was precisely pride, faith, and love for heritage—values passed down from previous generations—that guided Maries through its most difficult times.

As Maries steps into the next five-year journey, the brand chooses to renew itself:

• Renewing products while preserving the soul of craftsmanship

• Renewing operational thinking without losing cultural and human values

• Renewing storytelling so that heritage continues to be heard in a new context

And above all, renewing lives—the lives of rural women with whom Maries chooses to build a long-term commitment.

From Huế – Spreading the Value of Vietnamese Handicrafts

Rooted in Huế—the quiet and contemplative former imperial capital—Maries does not aim to become the biggest brand.
Instead, Maries chooses to become a brand with depth and a clear identity.

Each bag, each hat, and each Lepironia grass product is not merely an everyday item, but:

• A story of the craft village

• The imprint of artisans’ hands

• A connection between past and present

Being recognized by Lao Động Newspaper serves as a gentle yet powerful reminder: the path Maries has chosen—though slow—is the right one.

Maries sincerely thanks Lao Động Newspaper for dedicating a heartfelt article at the beginning of 2026, helping to spread the spirit of green entrepreneurship, love for heritage, and the enduring value of labor behind each handcrafted product.

Above all, Maries extends its deepest gratitude to Huế—our homeland, which has bestowed invaluable heritage upon younger generations, allowing us the opportunity to continue, preserve, and retell these stories in the language of today.

The journey continues.
And Maries believes that when heritage is cherished with the whole heart, it will continue to bloom.