Kim Soi and the journey of recycling fabric waste

Starting a business from... scraps of fabric

In 2012, from Phu Yen (now Dak Lak province), Soi went to Quang Nam (now Da Nang city) to start a business. With the eyes of someone who was professionally trained in fashion design, Soi realized that the tailor shops in Hoi An ancient town, which are very popular with tourists with their fast, urgent tailoring services, would be an abundant source of raw materials for her to make a living from discarded scraps of fabric. From there, Soi had the idea of collecting scraps of fabric to recycle them into products serving fashion, beautifying life. Fabric waste would then have another life and would no longer be scattered on the sidewalk or... end up in the trash. She went to ask for scraps of fabric at fashion shops, small tailor shops around the ancient town and then persistently created products such as bows, hair clips, hair ties, bags, wallets... with her skillful hands and artistic eyes.

Kim Soi với hành trình tái sinh rác vải - Ảnh 1. — Kim Soi introduces fashion accessories made from scrap fabric.

She sells handmade souvenirs on the sidewalk of Tran Phu Street. Products such as hair ties, headbands, headdresses, earrings, etc. are very popular, especially with foreign tourists. Unable to keep up, she found two more friends to help and supply to stalls selling handicrafts. In 2017, Kim Soi boldly invested in a production facility in Dien Nam Dong Ward, Dien Ban Town, Quang Nam (old), mobilizing some young people and the elderly who had free time to guide them in the stages of classifying, producing, and packaging products. She also introduced products at seminars, fairs, and "green living" events. Since then, the brand "SOI handmade" has been known as a sustainable fashion choice, both beautiful and contributing to environmental protection, towards a greener life.

In addition, nearly 40 SOI handmade fashion accessories are also distributed through channels such as website, Facebook, Zalo, Instagram... Thanks to that, the products have become closer to customers. At the same time, she organized workshops on the current situation of fabric waste, providing experience and instructions on how to make items from fabric scraps for young people, domestic and foreign tourists when they have the opportunity to visit Hoi An. She shared with tourists about the process of making products from discarded materials that are breathed into a new life by craftsmen instead of being released into the environment.

In addition, Soi also organizes free vocational training sessions for women, helping them make products at home from scraps of fabric, as well as encouraging them to start a business. If anyone wants to do more work, she will provide raw materials for them to process... When the Tan Thanh Fishing Village Market on Nguyen Phan Vinh Street (now in Hoi An Tay Ward, Da Nang City) stopped operating, the store's revenue also decreased... After 2 years of operating on Nguyen Phan Vinh Street, she moved the store to 5 Duong Thi Xuan Quy Street.

Kim Soi với hành trình tái sinh rác vải - Ảnh 2. — Introduction and instructions on how to make simple products from scrap fabric

Support young entrepreneurs

As promised, in early August, I went to Hoi An and visited SOI handmade. The shop is small but very eye-catching. Kim Soi introduced some new products and I was surprised by the richness and diversity of the products in the shop. In addition, SOI handmade also displays some other products of young people who have just started their businesses: Hats and scarves made of wool by women in Tam Ky, Hoi An; natural essential oils by Ms. Dung in Da Nang; Thanh Ha ceramic products by Le Van Nhat; pieces of aluminum and copper foil rolled thinly into earrings or glasses frames by a foreigner living in Hoi An, handcrafted from recycled plastic such as bottles, cups, straws, etc. Kim Soi not only lends the space to display but also helps introduce and distribute the start-up products of young people and local tourism products. She said: "Once, the whole family went on a field trip to Bho Hoong Community Tourism Village in Song Kon Commune, Dong Giang District, Quang Nam (formerly), 80 km from Hoi An. There, I saw and bought some woven fabrics from the Co Tu people... I met the women in the weaving cooperative and helped them introduce their products at their store. If they could sell them, it would help the Co Tu women improve their lives."

Kim Soi với hành trình tái sinh rác vải - Ảnh 3. — Kim Soi with scrap fabric

Using scraps of fabric, she has created a number of unique products, especially patchwork dresses. The dresses have large pieces of fabric joined together, embellished with colorful scraps of fabric in the front or with patterned frills. Each dress is a unique product, no two are alike! Looking at the unique and beautiful patchwork dresses, I suddenly remembered 40, 50 years ago, my mother used to sew blankets from small pieces of fabric, cut into squares or triangles and then sewn together. Kim Soi also said that she bought fabric from the Co Tu people in Dong Giang to make handbags. Of these, she used a part of the woven fabric to create highlights, while the rest would be patchwork scraps.

SOI handmade brand affirms its position

"Following the inevitable general trend of green tourism and sustainable tourism, I thought of making a set of accessories from scrap fabric and submitting it to the contest for creative startup ideas and projects in Quang Nam in 2023. At that time, I won the consolation prize and this was the first step to motivate me in the future," Soi shared. She set a goal in each period of operation after starting the business to bring green fashion accessories products to OCOP certification over the years.

Thanks to Soi's efforts and the attraction of unique "green" products, in 2024, Ma Chau silk fashion accessories will achieve 3-star OCOP, contributing to supporting the locality in bringing the brand to tourists through distribution to hotels and accommodations as souvenirs for guests.

Kim Soi với hành trình tái sinh rác vải - Ảnh 4. — Author and Ms. Tran Thi Kim Soi

In 2025, it will be the turn of K'lang fabric bags to achieve 3-star OCOP product. Kim Soi shared: "K'lang fabric bags are not just a fashion accessory but a handmade work that tells the story of Truong Son mountains and forests (K'lang is the name of a mountain in Co Tu language - NV ) and about the diligent hands of highland women. This is a product handwoven from Co Tu brocade fabric".

Before parting, Soi confided: "I want to share what I know and what I can do with the community. If anyone wants to start a business, I am willing to advise and support, especially helping women find jobs and create small, pretty, easy-to-make accessories. I hope that in the future there will be more agents distributing handmade products made from leftover materials to help reduce waste in the environment."

Hopefully there will be more and more craftsmen like Tran Thi Kim Soi, so that fabric waste can have a new life, turning into products that beautify people, life and keep nature green and clean!