In Hohhot, growinginterest in traditional crafts is creating new business and employment opportunities for local entrepreneurs. 

The Hohhot Women's Federation has cultivated the Chilechuan Qiaoniang (Chilechuan Skillful Women) brand, offering skills training and mentorship to help women find work. To date, the initiative has developed four major product series encompassing traditional textile arts, felting, weaving, and leather goods, empowering women to grow their incomes.

The Chilechuan Qiaoniang program has trained over 480 women, with 80 percent of participants mastering the crafts and achieving flexible employment.

The Red Pomegranate Entrepreneurship Hub in Saihan district has pioneered a distinctive approach integrating traditional craftsmanship, innovation, entrepreneurship, and employment assistance. It provides college and university graduates with entrepreneurship incubation and handicraft training facilities. The community conducts regular training sessions, helping over 300 residents find jobs through their handicraft skills.

The industrial chain of the handicraft economy is maturing amid surging demand. A growing number of handicraft studios are opening physical experience and display stores in popular commercial districts to expand in-person customer traffic. Both fabric and yarn suppliers report rising sales volumes. Meanwhile, multiple handicraft studios in Hohhot have launched study programs and courses, bringing traditional crafts out of museums and into the daily lives of young people.

The Chilechuan Qiaoniang program participants practice crafts-making. [Photo/Hohhot Convergence Media]