Traditional attire helps Miao women earn a living

Last year, the cooperative was able to sell nearly 500 machine-made dresses－for 500 yuan each.

In the first half of this year, they sold 12 hand-made dresses－each taking a worker about three months to complete and costing more than 3,000 yuan－to a local performance group. Another 200 machine-made dresses were sold, too.

"The business will get even better in winter, because it's the slack farming season and many events will take place during that time," Ma says.

"If everything goes well and we have enough orders, we can open a factory and provide the villagers with stable jobs, so they can earn steady incomes without having to work away from home."

While the cooperative still focuses on the traditional products because the demand is high, it has also been looking to diversify through combining ethnic elements with fashion designs to cater to a bigger market.

The cooperative is also producing daily-use items, such as tablecloth and pillow covers with decorative Miao patterns and even wedding gowns.

Some samples have been ordered by a customer from Beijing, who is interested in promoting such products in big cities.

"If they are satisfied with our products, we will get more orders in the future," Ma says.