Endangered embroidery to weave global network(2)

The market, particularly demands from overseas, might come to the rescue of the Dong embroidery only if it improves its popularity with lower prices, said Liu Huijun, director of Guangxi Arts and Crafts Research Institute.

"A delicate piece of Dong embroidery might be priced at around 6,000 yuan (about 980 U.S. dollars), which scares many people away in domestic market," Liu said.

The major consumers of embroidery these days are museums and some companies, but the number of such clients is limited.

Liu and other enthusiasts are eying the international market, looking for avenues to expand. He has been in contact with a few overseas companies who, after a little persuasion, are now placing orders on a monthly basis. His team are designing patterns according to the demand of international buyers, with women like Wei in Tongle responsible for production.

"If they complete the embroidery by the 10-day deadline, we buy their production at a reasonable price," said Liu.

In April this year Dong embroidery made its debut in Britain, where some 200 pieces were exhibited and sold.

"The good sales sent the village into an embroidery craze. The women of Sanjiang all wanted to be part of the production line, as they can make good money at home while tending to their farmland and families," Liu said.

Liu and his team are aiming high, planning to expand in Canada and the United States.

"Our vision is that someday the Dong embroidery will be spread around the globe," Liu said.

Long-term contracts are now signed between Liu's team and the Dong weavers like Wei and her coworkers in Sanjiang.

"The best way to protect a dying art is to develop it with the help of the market," Liu said, adding that the Dong embroidery would be passed on to future generations in this way, allowing them to make in a decent income.

"I hope young people will come back from cities and help us develop the traditional art, because it is the essence of our culture and needs serious protection," Wei said.