A place where unfortunate women can weave their lives anew

“When women have jobs and an income, they gain equality and are treated with respect and love” - this is the assertion of Vang Thi Cau, founder of the White Linen Cooperative in Tuyen Quang province.

Vang Thi Cau, a member of the Mong ethnic group, was born and raised in Sa Phin Commune, the site of the renowned residence of the “Mong King”. From a young age, she learned from her mother how to craft traditional white ethnic Mong garments from flax fibers. She has mastered nearly 40 distinct stages of the process, ranging from cultivating and tending to the flax plants, stripping the stalks, spinning the fibers and weaving the fabric, to steaming, dyeing, applying intricate patterns, embroidering and finally tailoring the finished garments.

Mass-produced garments brought in from the lowlands or imported from China are increasingly replacing traditional, hand-woven attire, despite being expensive, unattractive and poorly made. The older generation feels helpless, deeply anxious that their traditional craft might vanish. Young people today are so caught up in the struggle to make a living, worrying about basic necessities like food, clothing and money that few have any real interest in learning the nation’s traditional craft of weaving.

In oreder to address the concerns of the elderly and create livelihood opportunities for the younger generation leveraging existing knowledge of traditional linen weaving, Ms. Cau organized vocational training classes for Mong women in March 2018 and simultaneously founded the White Linen Cooperative. Back then, she boldly requested that the (former) Dong Van District People’s Committee allocate nearly 200 hectares of land for the cultivation of flax, with the aim of establishing a closed-loop supply chain, encompassing everything from raw material sourcing to production and product distribution. Leveraging this land alongside a modest bank loan, she and several co-founders set out to launch their venture. Up to now, the Cooperative has dozens of members, all of whom are Mong ethnic people and has created jobs for nearly hundreds of people in Sa Phin commune and neighboring communes...

A particularly notable aspect of the White Linen Cooperative is that, with the exception of Vang Thi Cau, every other member has endured a life marked by profound hardship. Among them, two were victims of human trafficking, two live with disabilities, ten suffered from domestic violence, and five come from families in exceptionally difficult circumstances. There is also one man - a former perpetrator of domestic violence who is now a member of the cooperative.

The members view the White Linen Cooperative as a solid pillar of support for their lives. By joining the cooperative which provides an income of 9-10 million VND per person per month, they have been able to gradually overcome poverty and illness, escape desperate circumstances, take control of their own lives and increasingly integrate into the community.

Currently, members of the White Linen Cooperative produce over 45 types of handicrafts that embody the cultural identity of the Mong ethnic group; several of these items have met OCOP (One Commune, One Product) standards. The cooperative’s products are sold on-site catering to tourists, especially international visitors, looking for souvenirs and are also exported to countries including Canada, Australia, Italy and Japan…

The efforts of Vang Thi Cau, the White Linen Cooperative and the Mong ethnic women in this community do more than just preserve and promote the unique cultural heritage of traditional Mong ethnic brocade weaving. They demonstrate that when women have the courage to strive for progress, securing employment and earning an income, they gain respect and affection, thereby fostering gender equality both within the family and in society at large. Furthermore, many have found the opportunity to rebuild their lives, quite literally weaving and embroidering a better future for themselves.

The White Linen Cooperative is located right next to the former residence of the legendary “Mong King” - a site that has since become a must-visit destination for travelers exploring the Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark. The presence of the cooperative in the heart of Sa Phin Commune serves as a highlight for traditional craft-based tourism; furthermore, it acts as a hub for fostering care and connection, helping to curb domestic violence and the cross-border trafficking of women, thereby contributing to the protection of human rights in this remote border region at the northernmost tip of the country./.