Transforming loofah fiber into export products to Japan, Korea, the US, EU

With the desire to utilize agricultural by-products to create economic value for local people, in 2017, a group of young individuals including Do Dang Khoa, Do Manh Quan, and Le Na from Dong Thap provincedecided to start a business with the project "Connecting People with Nature" using loofah fiber.

The Mr Muop’s brand was born with the goal of creating valuable products from local materials that are environmentally friendly and highly applicable in everyday life, all made from loofah fiber.

Loofah, a familiar material in rural areas, which was once only used for scrubbing pots and pans, has been transformed by the young people of Dong Thap in combination with other agricultural by-products like corn husks and sesame seeds. These materials have been turned into a variety of products, such as kitchen scrubbers, bath sponges, face scrubbers, bags, decorative items, night lights, shoe insoles, dried flowers, and even pet toys, which have gained popularity both domestically and internationally.

"Thanks to the safe material from loofah, which helps clean pets' teeth while chewing toys, we’ve turned what seemed to be a discarded loofah fiber into pet toys that can bring in over VND 21,000 (about 100 yen) when exported to Japan. We’ve been exporting this product line to Japan for six years with stable orders", said Do Dang Khoa.

According to Do Dang Khoa, CEO of Green Is Gold Co., Ltd., dry loofah purchased from local farmers is thoroughly cleaned, dried, and then processed in machines to be shaped before being molded into various products.

Currently, Mr Muop’s products have received OCOP 3-4 star certifications and are available on the shelves of supermarket chains such as Co.opmart, Satra, Aeon, and have many orders from markets in Japan, South Korea, the U.S., and the EU.

To help farmers develop their local economy using regional resources, Do Dang Khoa mentioned that he has connected with local authorities and departments to collaborate with farmers from Dong Thap, An Giang, Dong Nai, Binh Phuoc, and other provinces to expand the cultivation area to about 30 hectares.

This not only helps the company secure a steady source of raw materials for its operations but also ensures a market for loofah farmers. In addition, the company collaborates with local authorities to organize vocational training programs for the idle workforce in Dong Thap, enabling them to participate in the production of simple loofah fiber products.

On average, the Mr Muop brand purchases about 200,000 to 300,000 loofah fruits from local farmers each year to serve the production of environmentally friendly products.

Currently, both domestic and international consumers are increasingly favoring green, eco-friendly products. The market for these products is vast, and therefore, Mr Muop has strategic plans to stay ahead of this trend.

"We have started receiving investments to expand our factory, apply technology, and increase productivity so that loofah fiber products can reach global markets. Not only are we utilizing loofah fiber, but we are also researching and developing new products for the cosmetics industry using loofah oil," said Do Dang Khoa, adding that the company plans to launch products made from loofah oil in early 2025.

In addition to actively researching and developing new products, Do Dang Khoa mentioned that Mr Muop is also participating in trade fairs both domestically and internationally, as well as engaging in e-commerce platforms to seek potential partners and customers, helping their products reach new markets.

With the mission of making natural products, like loofah fiber, a sustainable choice, young entrepreneurs like Do Dang Khoa are working to bring Mr Muop-branded products closer to consumers both domestically and internationally. Through this, they aim not only to promote a green economy but also to create job opportunities for disadvantaged communities. The goal is to become Vietnam's leading supplier of loofah-based products.