In her new, sturdy home in Kla village, Ea Na commune, Dak Lak province, H’Yar Kbuor (born 1965) was eagerly admiring the intricate patterns on a newly woven brocade garment. She proudly shared that the brocade products made by the women in Kla village have gained widespread recognition.

Born into a poor family, H’Yar at the age of five suffered a severe illness that left one of her legs atrophied and paralyzed. Since then, her life has been tied to a wooden crutch.

She studied until sixth grade, but had to drop out due to the long distance to school and her frail health. It was then that her mother taught her the art of brocade weaving.

Despite her physical limitations, H’Yar is blessed with skillful hands. With a deep love for brocade, she mastered complex traditional patterns from a young age, a skill few could match. The loom, threads and vibrant patterns are an important part of her childhood memories.

Determined to go further, H’Yar also learned tailoring and opened a small sewing shop  in her village. She both weaves and sews clothes to support herself and her family.

Her brocade products are known for their finesse and strong cultural identity. Seeing the rising demand for traditional clothing during festivals and weddings among the E De people, she modernizes the designs to satisfy the preferences of young customers.

Beyond clothing, she also creates brocade-based bracelets, handbags, and student backpacks. Thanks to her creativity, her products became popular within and beyond her village, with an increasing number of orders.

In 2021, H’Yar presented her traditional brocade weaving and tailoring idea at the “Women’s Creative Startup” competition organized by the Dak Lak Women’s Union. Her products left a strong impression for their quality, aesthetics, and practicality, but also for the powerful inspiration behind her story.

She received a consolation prize and became one of five projects selected for investment support by the jury and business sponsors.

After the competition, H’Yar was awarded an overlock machine, given advice on hundreds of trendy product models, and received support in finding product distribution channels.

“This was just the beginning of finding a place and brand for our products,” she said. Her initial success at the startup competition fueled her drive to expand production.

In August 2022, the Kla village brocade weaving cooperative was established with 18 members, led by H’Yar. The cooperative specializes in producing traditional E De woven and embroidered products while partnering with tourism agencies and shops to promote and sell their goods.

Le Huong