Women-dominated handicraft industry in Guiyang, Guian booms

Handicraft commercial operations headed up women are booming in the city of Guiyang and Guian New Area – both located in Southwest China's Guizhou province – with statistics showing that in 2020, their companies, workshops and cooperatives had total output value of more than 600 million yuan ($94.32 million).

In 2020, Guiyang and Guian were home to 187 handicraft companies and cooperatives with more than 12,000 women engaged in the sector, including more than 2,600 female embroiderers.

In recent years, Guiyang has launched the Jinxiu project to improve the development and transformation of handicraft companies. To date, it has three companies with 100 million yuan of annual output value each, as well as 60 companies with 1-5 million yuan of annual output value each.

Guiyang is understood to be encouraging the handicraft companies to integrate modern technologies into their designs, materials and manufacturing – as well as produce more high-end handicrafts.

Moreover, the city has organized female embroiderers and weavers to participate in various kinds of cultural exchange activities and competitions, both inside and outside the province.

Furthermore, the city is also supporting its handicraft industry with policies and funding.

In recent years, Guiyang has applied for nearly 6 million yuan in funds from the Jinxiu project to support the project's 12 income-increasing bases.

It has held more than 50 handicraft-making training sessions and encouraged cooperation between companies, female embroiderers and industry associations.