Bringing Brocade Products Online

Boldly taking brocade online

Within a small house that doubles as her shop in Hoa Ninh Commune, Ka Thuan, who was born in 1989, dedicates her days to diligently working at a compact sewing machine. Next to her, her mobile phone is occasionally utilized to livestream and at other times to capture genuine footage of her brocade creations, a craft she has embraced for nearly ten years.

Ka Thuan states that her phone has become essential, as it plays a vital role in nearly all aspects of her work. From taking product photos, designing, and communicating with clients to confirming orders, gathering customers' measurements, completing products, and tracking shipments, her phone is involved in almost every phase of the process.

Every day, Ka Thuan dedicates her time from early morning until late at night to manage customer orders. In certain weeks, she produces between 30 and 50 brocade outfits. Once she completes each item, she takes photos and shares them online for her customers to see.

Earlier this year, Ka Thuan experimented with a new method. She started utilizing AI to help present her products. First, she creates a physical sample and carefully photographs each piece of fabric and every design before uploading the images to the software.

She can explore various colors and combinations and get an idea of how the outfit may appear when worn. Previously, she worried that AI-generated images could differ from the actual items.

As a result, Ka Thuan ensures that customers understand this and carefully photographs the fabric she intends to use for each piece. “I make sure to inform them in advance. I take clear photos of the actual fabric so they can view it,” she explained.

Through the courageous adoption of innovative strategies, Ka Thuan's Facebook page has garnered a growing audience. Her product photos have become more attractive, enabling customers to better imagine the designs.

Additionally, she shares narratives about her clothing and the significance of K'ho patterns, helping customers not only to view an outfit but also to gain a deeper appreciation for the traditional cultural values of her community.

Gradually expanding the market

Reflecting on her initial experience with social media for selling goods, Ka Thuan expressed that she felt quite unsure. She was uncertain about what to write or how to capture appealing images.

At times, her photos ended up distorted or poorly composed. She feared that potential customers might perceive her products as unappealing and was also anxious about possible negative feedback.

Motivated to showcase traditional brocade to a broader audience, she started learning how to take photographs, craft posts, create videos, livestream, and provide customer advice. She gradually gained confidence in showcasing the shirts and dresses she crafted on Facebook and TikTok. From a small group of initial buyers, her products slowly reached customers in more locations.

In addition to taking measurements and making products for customers in person, Ka Thuan also accepts remote orders. Customers simply send her their measurements, and she completes the products and ships them directly to their homes.

In 2024, Ka Thuan took part in the seventh Lam Dong Provincial Innovative Startup Contest and won the second prize. Her concept received high praise for merging traditional materials with contemporary methods and its potential for developing into marketable products.

Encouraged by this recognition, she began studying customer preferences and gradually expanded her product line to include handbags, hair ties, wallets, fashion accessories, and souvenirs, all crafted from traditional brocade that showcases unique K'ho patterns and colors.

Ka Soi, Secretary of the Hoa Ninh Commune Youth Union, stated that Ka Thuan is an admirable young individual who appreciates traditional craftsmanship and has proactively worked to make K'ho brocade more accessible to customers.

She noted that Ka Thuan is an example of a young entrepreneur from an ethnic minority who is preserving cultural heritage while incorporating innovation and utilizing technology and social media to market and sell traditional products.

Handcrafted and enriched with the cultural stories of the K'ho community, Ka Thuan's creations are steadily transforming traditional cultural values into a source of income and economic opportunity for her.

Her story serves as an encouraging example for other young people to embrace their cultural heritage with confidence while aiding the advancement of their communities through the traditions they hold dear.