About Beenong Gifts
Discovering Zhuang treasures and people
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The Zhuang people are a minority group in China with a rich history and distinct culture. They are the largest minority people group, though they remain mostly unknown and are often overlooked. Many Zhuang people, especially those in rural areas, must go far away to seek sustainable employment, only returning home to their children and families once or twice a year.
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At Beenong Gifts, we deeply believe that the Zhuang people and culture have much to offer. They have a rich creative voice that ought to be heard and we long to help them gather an audience. Through creating contemporary products inspired by their unique art and culture, Beenong Gifts hopes to promote Zhuang designs to the world.
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Zhuang children should be able to grow up with their parents. We long for this to be the norm, so we prioritise employing individuals with few job opportunities so that they can work in their own towns and villages and live with their families, and also learn life skills useful outside of Beenong Gifts - and in so doing, support healthier family and social structures.
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Beenong Gifts strives to build meaningful relationships with all our colleagues, employees and their families in a holistic way, embodying values of social justice, cultural authenticity, sustainability and generosity.
Nina's Story
Nina has a teenage daughter with special needs. They live in a small town where there is very little awareness of or support for people with special needs.
Nina is a joyful and committed mother, as well as an efficient and hardworking seamstress. She often shows and includes her daughter as she works, teaching her tasks that she can manage.
Most of our range of bags and purses are made by Nina.
Lilian's Story
Lilian is a Zhuang mother of two children. She makes a living by sewing and planting rice and raising pigs with her husband in their village home, hidden in the deep mountains.
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Working with Beenong enables their two children to receive education and buy all the necessary materials for school.
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You will find a lot of the accessories or smaller items are made by Lilian. This makes it possible for her to do some sewing in her village home as they are easier to transport back and forth into town on the motorcycle.
Daisy's Story
Daisy is a Zhuang widow with two daughters. She makes a living and supports the schooling of one of her girls with her sewing machine in a corner of her tiny home.
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Daisy is a patient and kind mother and an experienced and meticulous seamstress. Many of the homeware items are beautifully and carefully made by her.
Why Black?
There are many subgroups among the 18 million Zhuang, one of which is called the "Black Zhuang". Traditionally, they dye their fabric black/dark navy with a natural plant that grows in the region. This is an intensely tedious process, and not many people can or are willing to dye their fabric naturally anymore. However, most traditional Zhuang clothing still uses a black linen fabric for a base, as it effectively showcases their colourful ribbons and beautifully intricate embroidery.
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Inspired by the Black Zhuang
understated elegance
Handwoven Fabric
The Zhuang have a long tradition of weaving their own fabric with a wooden (or more recently, metal) loom. They weave many kinds of checked or plaid patterns using different coloured threads distinctive to their specific area. Many ladies wear these fabrics as a decorative headpiece. They are also commonly seen in clothing and household items such as tablecloths, bedsheets, and baby carriers.
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Star Anise
Symbolic & Authentic
Aromatic star anise is widely grown in Zhuang mountains. During the summer months (July-August), Zhuang farmers get busy harvesting and drying basketfuls of star anise and then sell them at marketplaces. It is no wonder that they also use it as a beautiful symbol/pattern in their traditional art and fabric.
