The Muong girl's journey of overcoming difficulties

TPO - Thanks to the idea of ​​producing traditional cotton mattresses by teacher Bui Le Le Quyen (teacher at Thuan Chau Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities, Son La province), Quyen currently has an income of about 20 million VND/month; the elderly only work part-time, earning about 4 million VND/month. The happiest thing is that many teenagers also come to learn the trade to improve their economy and escape poverty.

Ms. Bui Le Le Quyen (3rd from right) received Third Prize in the 2025 Rural Youth Startup Project Competition.

From old memories to startup ideas

On a winter afternoon, we came to Ms. Quyen's house in To Hieu ward ( Son La province) and heard the sound of cotton being pounded "bup bup" from afar, like the sound of memories echoing back. Welcoming us, Ms. Bui Le Le Quyen immediately told us about the fate that brought her to the project.

“When I was young, every time I visited my grandmother, I was always impressed by being buried in a thick cotton mattress, smelling of sunshine. Every time I went to the stream in the spring, I could see the red cotton flowers blooming all over the mountains and forests. Many times I saw my grandmother pounding cotton to make mattresses and pillows, and I thought this image would last forever. But when I grew up, I realized that there are fewer and fewer people who know the craft,” Ms. Quyen shared.

From her childhood memories, she realized that the traditional profession of the Muong and Thai people in the Northwest is facing the risk of being lost. The number of elderly people who know how to make cotton mattresses and pillows is decreasing. If it is not preserved, no one will know the value of cotton, how to process cotton, beat cotton, or sew cushion covers.

“I wondered, if I don’t start now, when the last generation passes… who will still know how to make kapok mattresses?”, Ms. Le Quyen recalled.

Ms. Bui Le Le Quyen performs the step of putting kapok cotton into the mattress.

That question became the “fire” that ignited a challenging but also proud journey. Quyen was determined to make clean, soft pillows and mattresses; at the same time, reviving memories and keeping alive a traditional craft that was once on the brink of oblivion.

Unlike the traditional way, Quyen started in a very modern way. With the support of Thuan Chau Commune Union (Son La province), she surveyed the market, learned about raw material hygiene, learned about the cotton processing process according to clean standards and tested dozens of pillow and mattress samples.

In the early days, Quyen and her colleagues had to go to every village to find each cotton bag, ask the villagers how to identify good cotton, and meticulously record each step. The cotton was dried thoroughly in the sun, then put into the washing machine to clean the dust, dried and fluffed with a pestle or small machine. The result was a layer of white cotton that was smooth, soft and much cleaner than the old method.

Cushion covers and pillowcases are selected from materials imbued with Muong culture such as cotton, linen, and ramie. Some designs are even hand-embroidered with traditional motifs. Thanks to that, each product is not only a daily use item but also carries a story of mountain and forest culture.

Quyen said that just by touching the cleaned cotton cotton layer, people immediately feel the softness like clouds. The hollow cotton fibers help to be elastic and not sink as deeply as synthetic foam. It is airy in summer; and keeps warm in winter. In particular, cotton cotton is completely natural and does not cause skin irritation. These advantages become a great advantage when introducing the product in the cities. "The first customer texted that the cotton cotton pillow was very comfortable, I was so happy that I couldn't sleep," Quyen laughed.

In spring, cotton flowers bloom throughout the mountains and forests of the Northwest.

Journey of overcoming difficulties

Bui Le Le Quyen confided that, despite careful calculations, the path to starting a business was not smooth. “The cotton supply was insufficient, so my group and I had to travel dozens of kilometers to purchase it. Investment capital was limited, so we had to pool our money to buy used washing machines and small dryers, and try to fix them ourselves when they broke down…”, Le Quyen said.

But the biggest challenge is when bringing the product to market. Among the myriad of eye-catching industrial products, handmade pillows and cushions need a lot of time to convince users. “I sought advice from experts on promotion, sales, brand building…”, Le Quyen shared.

Finally, Quyen chose to tell the story of Muong culture, emphasizing naturalness, cleanliness and environmental friendliness. Each product comes with a small piece of paper explaining the cotton making process and the origin of the kapok tree - a tree associated with the life and spring of the Muong people. Each small order sent from Hanoi , Hai Phong, Da Nang... has added strength.

Thanks to Quyen’s project, the houses of the elderly workers in the area are bustling with the sound of cotton pounding every afternoon. Currently, Quyen has an income of about 20 million VND/month; the elderly only work part-time, earning about 4 million VND/month. The happiest thing is that many teenagers also come to learn the trade.

“Before, I thought this profession had disappeared. Now that I see the children learning it again, I am very happy. The profession is preserved, and women in the village have more jobs and increased income,” said Cam Thi Tanh (65 years old).

Ms. Quyen's products are made from kapok fiber.

Quyen said that her next goal is not just to do small-scale business but to move towards establishing a business and expanding the market. “I am building and designing products that combine silk with kapok to make warm, beautiful blankets; building a wider brand of pillows, mattresses, and kapok blankets,” Quyen said.

Ms. Dinh Thi Bich Phuong, Secretary of Thuan Chau Commune Youth Union (Son La province) said that Bui Le Le Quyen's traditional kapok mattress production project won third prize in the 2025 Rural Youth Startup Project Competition organized by the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

This idea has great significance in preserving the traditional craft of the nation. With the support of the Youth Union and businesses, the project has initially brought certain successes, creating income for Quyen's family and some elderly women.

In the coming time, when the project develops, we will continue to accompany Le Quyen in supporting loans, building brands and promoting kapok blankets, mattresses and pillows to people in and outside the province," said Ms. Dinh Thi Bich Phuong.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/hanh-trinh-vuot-kho-cua-co-gai-muong-post1798507.tpo