Following Vu Van Chuy, Chairman of People's Committee of Phung Xa Commune, we went to Thanh Vuong Textile and Garment Company Ltd., one of the enterprises in the commune that specialises in producing and exporting towels to Osaka, Japan. According to Hoang Thi Van, its owner, at first her family simply started a household business. Realising the ever increasing demand of customers for towels, especially Japanese customers, her family decided to establish their company in 2010. On average, each year the company produces, trades domestically and exports to Japan thousands of towels of different types, sizes, designs and colours. In order to produce towels of different designs, it needs a process of different stages of threading, weaving, bleaching, dying and sewing. At the factory of Thanh Vuong Textile and Garment Company Ltd., each stage is continuously conducted by 5-6 workers at a time with a monthly average salary of 3-4 million dong each.
With investment into automatic weaving machines that produce different patterns and cost up to 200 million dong each, Phung Xa residents have reduced time and labour. Before weaving, the thread must be carefully arranged so that it will not become tangled during the spinning. During the weaving stage, workers need to pay attention to providing additional thread because if the thread runs out, woven towels will not have an even, smooth finish.
After they have been woven the towels are bleached and dyed with different colours. After that, the edges of towels are hemmed. This last stage requires a lot of labourers with experience and skills as the workers have to cut the large towels into small ones of different sizes and hem all the edges so that the towels will not be worn out easily. At the end, before delivering the products to the market, each towel is checked for the last time so that it has the best appearance.
More than 70% of Phung Xa households are involved in producing and selling towels, not only to markets in provinces and cities nationwide but also to foreign markets like China, Japan and Taiwan. Along with their traditional craft preservation, towel production in Phung Xa has helped create jobs for hundreds of local labourers in the two villages of Thuong and Ha of this commune as well as residents of nearby areas.
According to Vu Van Chuy, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phung Xa commune, though this is only a side occupation, towel production has served as the main livelihood, contributing to the improvement of living standards of Phung Xa residents. At the present time the commune is developing the trademark of Phung Xa towels in order to promote exports as well as expanding the market for towels domestically.
 Traditional production with materials of cotton and silk thread is still maintained in some households in Phung Xa.  Many households have invested in machines and equipment for industrial production.  Most households in the commune have weaving machines, some even possess 3-4.  Finished products of different types, forms, colours and sizes to be sold domestically and abroad.  Towel production in Phung Xa Commune combines both manual work and machines. |
With investment into automatic weaving machines that produce different patterns and cost up to 200 million dong each, Phung Xa residents have reduced time and labour. Before weaving, the thread must be carefully arranged so that it will not become tangled during the spinning. During the weaving stage, workers need to pay attention to providing additional thread because if the thread runs out, woven towels will not have an even, smooth finish.
After they have been woven the towels are bleached and dyed with different colours. After that, the edges of towels are hemmed. This last stage requires a lot of labourers with experience and skills as the workers have to cut the large towels into small ones of different sizes and hem all the edges so that the towels will not be worn out easily. At the end, before delivering the products to the market, each towel is checked for the last time so that it has the best appearance.
More than 70% of Phung Xa households are involved in producing and selling towels, not only to markets in provinces and cities nationwide but also to foreign markets like China, Japan and Taiwan. Along with their traditional craft preservation, towel production in Phung Xa has helped create jobs for hundreds of local labourers in the two villages of Thuong and Ha of this commune as well as residents of nearby areas.
 The commune produces different products of varying models, forms, utility and patterns.,…  Various types of towels are introduced to domestic and foreign markets.  Finished products are attached with the trademark of the producing enterprises.  Some finished products of local companies and households in Phung Xa Commune. |
According to Vu Van Chuy, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phung Xa commune, though this is only a side occupation, towel production has served as the main livelihood, contributing to the improvement of living standards of Phung Xa residents. At the present time the commune is developing the trademark of Phung Xa towels in order to promote exports as well as expanding the market for towels domestically.
Story: Ngan Ha - Photos: Cong Đat
