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The Story of Plaster Pigs from Thanh Da Finding Their Way to America

Not only has he become wealthy from the plaster pig trade, farmer Khai Duong Ngoc (Thanh Da Commune, Phuc Tho, Hanoi) has also successfully introduced this product to the US market.

For a purely agricultural commune like Thanh Da (Phuc Tho, Hanoi), it's already unusual for a farmer to get rich from the unconventional "plaster pig" business. Yet, he even accomplished something "extraordinary" that no one in the village or commune could have imagined – exporting thousands of plaster pigs to the US market.

That extraordinary farmer is Khai Duong Ngoc, from Duong Hong village, Thanh Da commune, Phuc Tho district. Khai's story is also a typical tale of rising out of poverty through small-scale handicraft industry in Thanh Da commune in particular and Phuc Tho district in general.

The Man Who Brought Plaster Pigs to the Village

In Thanh Da commune, everyone knows the house of "Khai the plaster pig man." Khai's plaster pig workshop was also the first to initiate this new trade in the locality.

Meeting us while still busy with new orders, Mr. Khai recounted the duyên (destined affinity) that led him to this profession: "Around 1996, my brothers and I went to Hanoi to make a living. At that time, we worked as laborers for a plaster workshop in Mai Dong."

In those days, farmer Khai Duong Ngoc toiled daily, pouring molds and painting every detail on the animal figurines.

When the goods were finished, Khai would diligently carry two baskets of finished pigs on his old bicycle, selling them along the streets of Hanoi.

Recalling those "early steps," the thin man in front of us now burst into laughter. He said: "There were times when I carried a full load, sold very little, and then the bike broke down on the way back. Me, the animal figurines, the chicken figurines... we all trudged under the sun back to the workshop."

But it was during that period of laboring for a living that Khai began toying with the idea of starting his own small-scale production in his hometown of Phuc Tho. His street-side sales trips were also when he sought to establish connections with potential regular customers. He also diligently honed his skills, quietly learning, so that by 2003, Khai officially brought his greatest asset – the plaster pig making craft – back to his village.

With his existing relationships, the plaster workshop of the farmer from Duong Hong village became increasingly popular. The animal figurines, crafted by local workers, gradually made their way to provinces across the North.

Giving us a tour of the workshop, Mr. Khai shared: "Making animal figurines from plaster is not difficult, but it requires meticulousness and care. After the molds are poured, the plaster figurines are placed on drying racks to dry before being sanded smooth and sprayed with a base color. In the final stage, the most skilled workers are selected to spray paint each small detail, applying the final colorful coat before the products leave the workshop."

"Usually, it takes a few days for the plaster pigs to 'leave the pen'," Mr. Khai said humorously.

Throughout those days of waiting for the "pigs to grow," the Thanh Da landowner had to closely supervise each stage to ensure the products wouldn't crack or fade later.

Khai added: "In the domestic market alone, there's no fear of unsold stock for the plaster figurines produced. During peak months, such as near the Lunar New Year or the first three months of the following year, workers can't keep up even when working tirelessly."

Recognizing the economic efficiency of the plaster workshop model, many people in Thanh Da commune have "packed their bags" to ask "Teacher Khai" to teach them the trade. To date, the entire commune has established seven plaster figurine production facilities. Many households, such as Mr. Duong Ngoc Tuan's family (village...), have even built spacious houses thanks to "fake pigs."

They often joke with each other: "Mr. Khai is the 'founder' of the plaster pig trade for the whole commune."

Finding a Way for Pigs to Go Abroad

Bringing the "fake pig" making craft to the village was already unusual, but turning it into the commune's key industry was even more so. However, farmer Khai the plaster pig man didn't stop there. With the help of his nephew, who specializes in import-export in Hanoi, he even secretly sent plaster pigs across the ocean, halfway around the world, to distant America.

In March 2015, Duong Ngoc Khai astonished the northern "plaster village" in general and Thanh Da in particular when he successfully exported an entire container of plaster pigs to the state of Pennsylvania, USA.

Taking a puff of his cigarette, Mr. Khai recounted: "Around early 2015, my nephew, Duong Ngoc Hung, started posting plaster pig products on an international sales website. The unique products from Thanh Da immediately caught the attention of foreign friends. An American customer contacted Hung to inquire about purchasing these products for sale in Pennsylvania."

Speaking to us, Hung added: "At the time of receiving the offer, I myself couldn't believe it was true. However, through a two-month-long exchange of information, Hung and that customer gradually reached an agreement."

The order in March 2015, as requested by the US side, consisted of 2,500 plaster pigs in seven different colors when finished. Immediately, Mr. Khai's entire workshop began a historic production run.

Mr. Khai shared: "Products for export require high quality and beautiful designs. Therefore, plaster pigs for the US market are cast thicker and painted more carefully. To prepare those 2,500 pieces, my workers and I spent about a month. The long time was to ensure good product quality and a chance to return to the US market."

On the day of sending off the "first batch of pigs for export," Mr. Khai was extremely nervous. Only when thousands of colorful pigs crossed the ocean, halfway around the world, to the other country did he dare breathe a sigh of relief when only a few were broken. What made him most proud was that those Vietnamese pigs were and are being displayed prominently in stores in Pennsylvania.

In the customer feedback letter sent by the American customer to Duong Ngoc Hung, the customer stated: "We are very satisfied with the quality of your products. Finally, thank you for a successful first shipment."

The letter also stated: "We hope our efforts will lead to a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship."

Sharing further, Mr. Khai revealed: "Currently, my nephew and I are continuing to promote the products to other potential areas outside the borders of Vietnam."

The presence of Vietnamese plaster pigs in the US has stirred up the "plaster village" of Thanh Da. Many people have also started dreaming of exporting their own pigs.

Chairman of Thanh Da commune, Mr. Manh, also couldn't hide his pride when mentioning Mr. Khai the plaster pig man: "Currently, along with wooden furniture production, the production of animal figurines from plaster is a key economic development sector for the locality. Mr. Khai's ability to bring products to another country is a common pride for the whole commune, and it has also opened up a new direction for the Thanh Da plaster craft."