In the border commune of Pa Thom, Dien Bien district, Dien Bien province, brocade weaving is not only a traditional craft of the Lao people but it also opens up opportunities to turn cultural values into a source of income. Lao brocade has a strong cultural identity and different features compared to the brocade of the Northwest people.
With skillful hands and creativity, Lao women have created unique brocade products. From natural cotton fibers, through many meticulous stages, brocade fabrics and impressive costumes are born.
However, the brocade weaving profession has faced many difficulties, especially in terms of product output. Realizing the importance of preserving and developing the traditional craft, in June 2020, the first 9 members of Pa Xa Lao village joined together to establish the Pa Thom Brocade Weaving Cooperative.
The establishment of the cooperative marked an important turning point, opening up opportunities to introduce Pa Thom brocade at fairs and exhibitions, contributing to promoting the image and enhancing the value of the product. In particular, in 2024, Dien Bien province hosted the National Tourism Year, Pa Thom brocade was introduced to many domestic and foreign tourists.
According to Ms. Lo Thi Van - Director of Pa Thom Brocade Weaving Cooperative, thanks to the support of the Provincial Rural Development Branch, the Cooperative has had the opportunity to participate in many trade promotion activities, contributing to promoting products to a large number of consumers. In addition, the Cooperative has also proactively sought new distribution channels.
"We also determined to always renew our products with diverse items, such as: bags, scarves, skirts, shirts... with prices ranging from 200,000 to 2 million VND depending on the type. Thanks to that, the cooperative's revenue is increasing, reaching an average of over 200 million VND/year and in some years reaching over 300 million VND" - Ms. Van said.
Currently, in Pa Thom commune, there are more than 30 households participating in the production of Pa Xa Lao brocade. The income of cooperative members has also improved significantly, with each household earning an average of over 2 million VND/month.
According to Ms. Van, weaving not only helps women have a stable income but also creates many jobs, contributing to improving economic life. Especially in the rainy season, when farming work becomes idle, weaving brocade has become a significant source of income.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Son - Director of the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs of Dien Bien province - said that in order to create jobs for ethnic minorities, the unit has proactively implemented many synchronous solutions. In particular, promoting vocational training, developing traditional occupations and services suitable for the locality are given special attention.
The province also actively supports people in accessing preferential loans, creating favorable conditions for businesses to invest, contributing to expanding job opportunities for people.
Also according to the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Dien Bien, in the first 9 months of 2024, the whole province created new jobs for more than 9,000 workers, an increase of 11.6%; recruited nearly 9,800 people for vocational training, an increase of 17.8% over the same period last year.
