YINCHUAN, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- In an intangible cultural heritage employment workshop in Xiji County, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, several women sit around tables, busy making embroidery patterns.
Fifty-year-old Lei Chunhua, one of the embroiderers, secures a shoe sole in front of her, and a few colorful threads weave gracefully through her fingers, gradually revealing the intricate pattern of handmade slippers.
Lei used to be a farmer, and the thought of making a living through embroidery never crossed her mind. Then a few years ago, she had a major operation that left her unable to work in the fields.
By chance, she joined the company founded by Shi Manyi, an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage for Ningxia embroidery, to learn the craft.
"Our employees are mainly women left behind in rural areas, farmers and some people living with disabilities," said Zhao Jing, daughter of Shi and general manager of Xiji County Rural Cultural Creative Industry Co., Ltd. "The wages are calculated per piece, making the work schedule highly flexible. They can come to the workshop when they have free time or take materials home to work."
Through making and selling handicrafts, the company provides employment opportunities and a way to boost incomes for those who would otherwise be without work.
"Now that I can't do farm work or take on other jobs, I use my spare time to do handicrafts. It helps support my household and allows me to take care of my child who attends school," said Lei.
Today, the company's products are sold nationwide, with sales revenue reaching 4.58 million yuan (about 638,000 U.S. dollars) in 2023. It has created employment for over 300 locals, increasing their annual income by more than 10,000 yuan per person.
In recent years, with strong national support for intangible cultural heritage like embroidery, Xiji has leveraged traditional embroidery skills among women, establishing it as a key industry to boost local women's employment.
The county has developed a brand called "Xiji Embroidery Women," making embroidery and hand knitting an essential part of vocational skills training programs, which boosts women's incomes and advances rural revitalization.
As the number of embroiderers grows and orders increase, this traditional craft is also seeking new development through innovation.
"The market for cultural and creative products is thriving. At a recent promotional event in the city of Changsha, we secured orders worth 370,000 yuan," said Yang Ling, general manager of Ma Lan Embroidery Co., Ltd. in Xiji.
Inspired by her mother Ma Lan, Yang learned embroidery at a young age and later studied design at university. After returning to her hometown to take over the company, she sought not merely to preserve tradition but to blend it with modernity, developing cultural tourism products based on intangible heritage.
"In the past, we only produced traditional embroidered items. Later, while visiting other cities, I was captivated by the market appeal of trendy, China-chic cultural products, which sparked a lot of inspiration. When I returned, I began creating these products," Yang noted.
Inspired by Yang's creativity, the company began producing a wide range of cultural products last year, such as earrings, brooches, pillows and playing cards.
These products are highly favored by consumers, enjoying strong sales not only in the domestic market but also in regions such as the Middle East and Central Asia. Today, sales from cultural products account for half of the company's total revenue.
Moreover, Yang also established a training school through her company, offering year-round courses in embroidery and hand knitting. To date, the school has trained over 14,000 participants, cultivating thousands of skilled artisans in handicrafts.
"We hope to develop more new products to drive the growth of the embroidery industry while also helping more women increase their income," Yang said. ■
