The Heritage of Sola Flowers.

Thai flower makers community.

People often ask me why I chose to work with sola flowers, since it’s such a niche business. To be honest, it all started unintentionally. I didn’t even know what I really wanted to do. I just knew deep down that I’ve always loved crafts made from natural materials.

I had seen sola flowers before, usually as part of fragrance diffuser packaging, but I didn’t pay much attention to them. Then one day, I was walking through a local market when I came across a shop selling bunches of delicate white sola flowers. They were beautifully arranged in baskets, each bloom light, fluffy, and clean-looking. The shop itself felt dreamy and inviting. I ended up buying seven small flowers without having any idea what I would do with them.

Out of curiosity, I took a few photos and listed them for sale on Amazon, not expecting anything. To my surprise, someone bought them. Then came the second order, the third, and more. I started to enjoy the process and became curious: Why were people so interested in this?

That’s when I started researching sola flowers. The more I learned, the more amazed I became.Let me share a bit of what I discovered.

In Thailand, rice is a staple food, so rice farming is common across the country including in Ayutthaya province. The geography and soil there are perfect for growing rice, especially in the floodplains. But here’s the problem: rice fields don’t just attract rice. A particular kind of weed also thrives in the same conditions and competes with rice for nutrients. That weed is what we now call “sola wood”

Sola wood in the rice field.

Naturally, farmers see it as a nuisance. Every year, they have to spend time, effort, and money to remove it to protect their crops.

Meanwhile, in many Thai communities, local women often gather to do crafts and find creative ways to make use of natural materials. They noticed that sola wood had a soft, lightweight, spongy core, pure white in color and great at absorbing liquid. Sola wood is brittle in its own way, the texture was perfect for slicing thin and shaping into petals.

So they started experimenting. Using their imagination and drawing inspiration from real flowers, they created simple artificial blooms. At first, these flowers were mainly used in funerals because of their white, calm, respectful appearance and because they were durable and wouldn’t wilt.

Over time, as Thai culture revolves deeply around Buddhist traditions like merit-making, alms-giving, and temple visits. Sola flowers found their place in religious offerings. Then came local festivals and rituals, where decoration is key. Sola flowers began to be used as hanging garlands, mixed with other art forms like banana stalk carving, or even combined with fresh flower arrangements in floral parades.

Since Thailand has no shortage of skilled artisans, this craft kept evolving. Sola flowers became a medium of endless creative expression.

The funeral flower, Thai garland , ceremony tray for teacher appreciation.

What was once considered a weed to be discarded, sola wood has now transformed into a high-demand, income-generating crop on par with rice in some regions. As its popularity grew and supply couldn’t keep up with demand, cultivation expanded beyond its original areas into neighboring provinces.

As lifestyles evolved, so did the artistry behind sola flowers. From simple handcrafts, they developed into a wide range of home décor items, keepsakes, and gifts, handcrafted in family-run or community-based workshops. These local crafts not only created income but also became export products with growing international recognition.

I've always felt something special about the way Thai folk wisdom quietly grows into something the whole world can admire.

Is it about turning something once overlooked into something meaningful?or

is it simply about learning to see the value that’s always been there?

Either way, that’s what inspired me to begin this journey with natural handmade flowers.It’s a path of constant growth, one that no other material could ever truly replace.

Since the day I started, sola flowers have given me joy, ideas, and endless possibilities.There are still so many dreams and plans blooming in my mind.One day, when the time is right, I’ll share them all with you.

Thank you, Nature, for leading me here.