From passion for beauty
Growing up in the countryside, Nguyen Thi Lan (born in 1988, Cay Xanh village, Phu Ninh commune) did not have access to the same conditions for learning fashion as in the city. But since the 2000s, when fashion shows gradually appeared on television, the young girl was attracted by colors, designs and delicate cuts. Passionate about painting and embroidery, she cherished the dream of one day owning a fashion brand.
After finishing 12th grade, Nguyen Thi Lan left her hometown for the South, working for a living while studying garment technology at the Ho Chi Minh City College of Economics and Technology. After graduating, she continued to work in many provinces and cities, taking on the role of technician and sewing samples for domestic and foreign companies. Each work experience helped her accumulate knowledge and hone her skills.
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However, she always had the urge to return to her hometown to start a business. In 2012, Lan opened a tailor shop in Hoi An, where tourism was booming and demand for personal tailoring was high. She learned English and Chinese to communicate with international customers, learned new tailoring techniques, and attended short-term training courses in Hanoi.
During my time with Western customers, I realized that they prefer a minimalist style and focus on environmentally friendly materials. They often ask about the origin of the fabric and whether the production process is sustainable. This made me change my way of thinking about my job. A beautiful outfit is not only about the stitches but also needs to tell a story associated with social responsibility."
Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan
[VIDEO] - Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan shares about her journey of changing her mindset about sewing:
From that awareness, she began to choose natural materials, recycle fabric scraps, and teach free classes so that many people know how to alter clothes instead of throwing them away. In the small tailor shop space in Hoi An, many disadvantaged women have learned the trade to support themselves.
Weaving sustainable values
From small actions, Ms. Lan began to form the idea of building the “Green Sewing” Project with the viewpoint: Garment is not only a product, but also a tool to heal, connect and protect the environment. The project aims to help women, especially disadvantaged groups, learn a trade to earn an income, create a creative space to reduce mental stress and importantly contribute to limiting textile waste, which is alarming today.
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Ms. Lan shared that according to statistics from the United Nations Environment Program, the global fashion industry produces about 92 million tons of waste each year, of which discarded fabric and unused old clothes account for a large proportion.
"In many families, old or defective clothes are often thrown away directly into the environment, putting pressure on the waste treatment system. If everyone knows how to make use of leftover fabric and modify old clothes into new ones, the amount of fabric waste will be significantly reduced," said Ms. Lan.
Recently, "Green Sewing" was honored to receive the Encouragement Prize at the Quang Nam Startup Talent Search Competition 2025. This is a great joy and motivation for me to complete the model. Currently, I am connecting with a number of organizations in Hoi An and Phu Ninh to develop free training, organizing basic sewing skills classes for the community"
Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan
Since 2017, the project has trained nearly 20 students, mostly women in Hoi An, Phu Ninh and Tam Thang Industrial Park. A typical example is Ms. Le Thi Ha (Hoi An Tay Ward), who after 10 days of studying was able to sew her first shirt as a gift for her husband. Or Ms. Nguyen Thi Lanh - a lawyer in Thu Dau Mot (Ho Chi Minh City), who joined the online class just to... reduce stress but then fell in love with it and diligently created with scraps of fabric in the house.
Ms. Bui Thi Hong Nga (Dan Trung village, Phu Ninh commune) shared: "Learning to sew not only relieves stress after a busy day but also helps me save on living expenses. Instead of throwing away old clothes or defective items, I can edit them for further use. I even received a few small orders for home-based sewing, which not only gives me extra income but also allows me to do what I love."
[VIDEO] - Ms. Bui Thi Hong Nga shares the reason for her passion for sewing:
Source: https://baodanang.vn/duong-may-xanh-va-hanh-trinh-se-chia-cua-mot-tho-may-3264890.html
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