In2014ChenPingfoundedtheXinxiuyuan(NewEmbroideryStudio)EmbroideryCooperativeinherhometown,andregisteredherXiGuniangbrand.THEflamboyantrobeembroideredwithintricategoldenvinesandsapphireblossomsthatDeputyFuChunlioftheXibeethnicgroupworetolastMarch’sNationalPeople’sCongressmagnetizedtheattentionofallpresent.ItwasadesignbyXiGuniang(MissXi),thefashionbrandestablishedbyChenPingofQapgalXibeAutonomousCountyinIliKazakAutonomousPrefecture,XinjiangUygurAutonomousRegion.
MissXiproductsfeaturetraditionalembroiderypatternsandtechniquesoftheXibeandtheKazakethnicgroups.Justoneyearorsoafterstartingoperations,thisruralcooperativeisnowrapidlyexpandingitsmarkettoBeijing,Xi’an,Nanjing,andShenzhen,amongotherbigcities.
FarmertoEntrepreneur
ChenPing,45,wasborntoafarmer’sfamilyinQapgalinnorthwesternXinjiang.Intentonseeingwhatlifebeyondhervillagewaslike,aftergraduatingfromjuniormiddleschoolshesetoffforthecity.YearslaterChenhadmadeherfortuneandinvesteditinabeautysalon.Runningthebusinessmadeclearerthanevertohertheimportanceofeducationandprofessionalskills–advantagesthatruralwomensuchashergenerallylack.Thisrealizationspurredhertoenrollinajuniorcollegedegreeprogram.Upongraduation,sheopenedavocationaltrainingcenterforruralwomenandpeoplewithdisabilities.Herwinwinaimwastoimprovetheirotherwisebleakemploymentprospectsandatthesametimetrainaworkforce.
Themotivationforthiscamein2013,whenChenreturnedtoherhomevillageforChineseNewYear.Shenoticedthat,asinmanyunderdevelopedregionsinChina,mostoftheyoungervillagers,especiallymen,hadgonetothecitytofindwork.Theirwives,children,andseniorrelationswereconsequentlylefttomanageasbesttheycould.Lifeforherrelativesandneighborswasgenerallyhard.Sheponderedonhowshecouldhelpthemoutoftheirplight,andaftercarryingoutmarketresearch,hitontheideaofethnicculturalproducts,ormorespecifically,Xibeembroidery.
TheancientartandcraftofneedleworkispartofthefabricofXibelife,havingbeenaddedtothenationalintangibleculturalheritagelistin2011.In2014ChenPingfoundedtheXinxiuyuan(NewEmbroideryStudio)EmbroideryCooperativeinherhometown,andregisteredherXiGuniangbrand.
SocialResponsibility
Embroideryisanexactingskillthatdemandspracticeandpatience.Afteralongsearch,ChenhiredfourdesignersaccomplishedinthisXibecrafttogiveclassestolocalvillagers.Ittooktimeandconsiderablefinancialinputtotransformthesenewrecruitsintoskilledworkers.AtonepointshehadonlyRMB100inheraccountpriortotheirpayday,andsohadtomaxouthercreditcardandalsoborrowfromfriendsandrelatives.Sheneverthelesspaidthemstrictlyaccordingtoschedule.
Afterbusinessstartedandthedemandforthecooperative’sproductsgrew,Chenintroducedmachinesthatcomplementedthemanualwork,soreducingtheworkloadandincreasingefficiency.Sheshowedthereporterapillowcaseembroideredinalavenderdesign.“Ifthiswerehandmade,evenaskilledworkercouldfinishnomorethantwopiecesaday,”Chensaid.“Machineembroideryisverypopularnowadays,butwemustpreservehandembroidery.Itisanintangibleculturalheritage,andwecannotdiscardourtradition.”
Chennowemploys210embroideresses.AftercarryingoutasurveyineightcountiesinIliPrefecturesheestablishedembroiderycooperativesinfivecounties,eachofwhichsuppliedherfactorywithprimaryproducts.In2015shemergedthesecooperativesintotheXinjiangXijunEmbroideryandAccessoriesCo.,Ltd.Itsproductvarietiesnowexceed110,andthemonthlyorderforitsbest-sellingproduct–aspicepouch–approaches10,000.“Iplantoreformthecurrentmanagementofcooperativeslaterthisyearwherebyworkerscantakeordersfromthecompanyandworkathome.Theycanthentakecareoftheirfamilieswhileearninganincome.”Manyruralwomenprefertoworkthisway.
“WhenIpaidforthefirstcompletedorderbeforelastSpringFestival,allthewomenworkerswerethrilledatbeingabletochangetheirliveswiththeirownhands.ThisiswhyIstartedthisbusiness,”Chensaid.
OnlineMarkets
Althoughtraditionisamainaspectofherwork,ChenPingisentirelyopentocontemporarytrends.“People’sconsumptionhabitsaretransforming,sowemustchangeaccordingly.”Shefirstexperimentedwithonlinemarketingin2015byopeningastoreontaobao.“Computersweresomethingalientome.Ilearnte-businessmodelsfromcollegestudentsandyoungworkerswhohaveplentyofnewideas,”shesaid.Herfirstteacherwasher21-year-olddaughter,whogoestocollegeinWuhaninCentralChina.“Sheandherclassmatespostedpicturesofmyproductsonline,andhelpedpromotethem.Theyoftenpresentedproposalsanddesignedfashionableproductswithcartoonpatterns.”ThesalesvolumeofapillowbearingtheirdesignreachedRMB280,000duringthelastValentine’sDayweek.
AwareofthepotentiallytangiblebenefitsoftheInternet,ChenPingisconfidentlyandthoroughlyexploringit.HerproductsnowhavearobustpresenceonWeChatthrough2,000-plusdistributorsrunningaccountsonthissocialnetworkingapp.LastyearhercompanychalkedupmorethanRMB2millioninonlinesales,accountingforover60percentofitstotalsalesfigurefortheyear.
Tocatertothetasteoftheyouthandblendthemodernandtraditionalinherproducts,ChenPingplanstolaunchprogramsforcollegegraduatesatstart-upbasesininlandprovinces.“Researchanddevelopmentisourweakness,andwillbethecompany’spriority,togetherwithmarketing,thisyear.Iwillinviteexpertsfrominlanduniversitiestothecompany,tohelpusdevelopchicproductsthatcomplementcontemporarystyles,”theambitiousbusinesswomansaid.
“Forfuturegrowthwewillspecializeinindividualorders.Thisisafieldwithhugepotential,astoday’syouthdemandindividualityandingenuity.Singularityisthehallmarkofhandmadeproducts,andwearemovinginthatdirection.”
AnembroideressatworkonapieceoftraditionalXibeembroidery.theinternet
AwareofthepotentiallytangiblebenefitsoftheInternet,ChenPingisconfidentlyandthoroughlyexploringit.