Weavers show how they make Vietnam's iconic straw hats as craft slowly fades away

Vietnamese weavers showed today how they make the country's iconic straw hats at their homes - amid fears the profession could slowly fade away as they are replaced by machines.

The headgear, known locally as non la, has different designs but is typically made with straw, dried palm leaves, and thin bamboo strips.

Hat makers diligently cut and polish thin bamboo strips, which are then placed in concentric circles onto a notched wooden cone frame - similar to a hoop skirt. When the base is complete, the exterior is covered with strips of palm leaves to create the finished product.

The hat is used to protect farmers from the capricious weather during Vietnam's tropical monsoon season.

However, workers fear the hat making profession is slowly disappearing as locals focus on more modern pursuits.

Photographer Tran Nguyen Khanh said: 'Conical hat making is not only a craft but also a symbol of Vietnamese culture and tradition.

'The workers, with many years of experience, the masters of this profession, have put all their heart into eating and sleeping with the same profession, skillfully turning the conical hats into unique with carved motifs.

'For them, making conical hats is not only a job to earn a living, but also a pride, a source of income to help raise and educate their children. Because of this profession, many families have had the opportunity to send their children to school, helping them to become successful people in the future.

'Unfortunately, in the storms of the modern era, the profession has gradually lost its position. Many workers fear that this craft will no longer be passed down, as today's young people are no longer interested in a seemingly outdated profession.

'Although the profession has somewhat lost its popularity, the love and pride of the conical hat craft still remains in the hearts of many experienced craftsmen.'