Starting a business based on local culture.

Growing up surrounded by a culture intertwined with looms and vibrant patterns, Ms. H Loang Mlô (29 years old, Buon Ma Thuot ward) gradually realized the absence of brocade weaving in village life. Without providing income, the looms remained idle in the corner of the house, and few people mentioned the old craft anymore. From this concern, she began a journey to preserve brocade weaving in a creative and innovative way.

Thanks to their unique designs, the outfits at Ms. H Loang Mlô's shop (Buôn Ma Thuột ward) are loved by many customers.

She sought out artisans in the village, bought hand-woven fabrics, and then began designing fashion items such as ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress), wedding dresses, and vests… “Many people still think that brocade is something heavy and rigid, only suitable for wearing on festive occasions. Therefore, I want to create items that everyone can wear for leisure, work, or parties; items that are both beautiful and comfortable while still preserving the soul of our ethnic group. When culture is no longer kept in a glass case but enters everyday life, it is truly preserved,” Ms. H Loang shared.

Although she didn't receive formal design training, she gradually perfected each product design through learned knowledge, practical experience, and customer feedback. Traditional motifs such as stilt houses, animals, and leaves are still clearly present in each garment, but they are subtly coordinated in color, and materials like stretch fabric, silk, and velvet are chosen to suit customer needs. Some designs are even embellished with stones, pearls, and feathers, creating unique accents without losing their distinctive character.

To make brocade more accessible to the community, in addition to retail sales, she also offers a rental service for traditional costumes for weddings, cultural events, and experiential tourism . Rental prices range from 50,000 to 1 million VND per set; purchase prices range from 350,000 to 3 million VND per set, depending on the material and design. Furthermore, she has built a network of collaborators across provinces and cities such as Lam Dong, Dong Nai, and Hanoi, allowing customers to easily access and experience the traditional costumes of the Ede people.

From the hearty meals of the mountains and forests enjoyed over a fire in a stilt house, Ms. H. Lêch Byă (37 years old, Krông Pắc commune) nurtured the dream of opening a restaurant that truly captured the essence of Êđê cuisine. For her, food is not just about taste, but also about memories, culture, and the soul of an entire community. “When I decided to open the restaurant, my biggest concern was the customers' preferences. Traditional Êđê cuisine often has spicy, salty, and bitter flavors, so not everyone can enjoy it. Therefore, I researched and adjusted the dishes to be more harmonious while still preserving the characteristic ingredients such as bitter eggplant, bép leaves, cassava leaves, yellow ants… so as not to lose the essence of our ethnic cuisine ,” Ms. H. Lêch Byă confided.

Ms. H. Lêch Byă (Krông Pắc commune) serves customers traditional Êđê dishes.

After a period of experimentation and perfecting the recipe, she opened two restaurants in Krông Pắc commune and Buôn Ma Thuột ward. In just over a year, these two locations have become familiar destinations for many diners from within and outside the province. Every day, both establishments welcome around 300-400 customers who come to enjoy more than 30 characteristic dishes of the Êđê ethnic group in stilt houses decorated with traditional rice wine jars, bamboo baskets, and vibrant brocade scarves… Each meal not only embodies the flavors of the mountains and forests but also offers diners a fascinating experience of the Êđê people's cultural life.

Ms. H. Lech Byă's business also contributes to creating livelihoods for many people in the village. Instead of buying goods from the market, she prioritizes purchasing wild vegetables, roots, freshwater fish, yellow ants, etc., brought from the fields by the villagers; this ensures a source of clean, fresh food while also helping many disadvantaged households earn extra income.

With keen insight and a deep love for their roots, many young Ede people have been finding a firm place for their traditional culture amidst the flow of modernity. Without fanfare, they quietly renew their approach, breathing new life into it so that the values of their ancestors are not only preserved but also spread and continue to accompany the future.

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