A Tale of Two Cities Supporting Xinjiang

To make matters worse, their cash flow quickly ran out.

Rent, basic salary, sample making, advance payment for materials...

That small amount of start-up capital melted away quickly, like snowflakes in the sun.

Aihemaiti visited local banks and microfinance companies, and the replies were all similar: "Startups without stable cash flow and collateral are too risky."

"The location is remote, logistics costs are uncontrollable, and the market prospects are unclear."

The only local small investor who reached an agreement wavered after investigating the market, especially after seeing that "Teacher Li" had changed his name and was still dumping similar products at low prices.

A phone call came in, the voice apologetic but firm: "Ms. Gu, we greatly admire your philosophy. However, the local market competition is too fierce, and the vicious price war seems endless."

We run a small business and really can't afford to take that risk... Let's put the investment on hold for now.

The first batch of designed products was stalled at the prototyping stage because the factory couldn't afford the advance payment for mass production. On payday, Gu Zaili emptied all her bank accounts, but it was only enough to pay half of her basic salary.

The next day, the two members in charge of marketing and channels silently packed their things. Before leaving, one of them said to Guzalinur, "I'm sorry, I really admire you."

But I can't keep going down this path where there's no hope.

"I'm under a lot of financial pressure at home, so I need to find a job where I can get paid on time."

Just when Gu Zaili was in a state of panic, seeking help everywhere but repeatedly hitting a wall, an even heavier blow came.

To help her and to explore a more feasible "cultural and creative + rural revitalization" model, Professor Chang Peng used his research project to contact several villages in another county and try to combine students' designs with local woodwork and homespun cloth to produce some products in small batches.

However, the project stalled shortly after it began, at the most basic level of logistics and warehousing.

Transportation from the village to the city involves scattered freight costs that are outrageously high, with freight costs almost equaling the product cost.

The makeshift storage location was poorly equipped, and a batch of carefully dyed homespun cloth became damp and moldy, ruining all the hard work.

The villagers who cooperated invested materials and time, hoping to earn income, but what they got in return were spoiled products and costs that could not be reimbursed.

Several fellow villagers were extremely anxious and went directly to Chang Peng, who then used his connections to find Gu Zaili's studio.

Teacher Chang said it's a collaboration with your organization!

Now that the goods are broken and we can't sell them, who will compensate us for our losses?

A middle-aged man blocked the entrance to the studio, saying, "We trusted you, teacher and students, and brought out all our best-kept skills. And what was the result?"

We've lost everything! You have to give us an explanation today!

Looking at the other person's anxious and angry face, and listening to the questions, Guzalinur felt frozen.

She recalled her initial ambition to help her fellow villagers make money, remembered Grandma Aysham's words, "We can't afford to gamble," and remembered her departing partners saying, "We see no hope."

Now, not only is he himself mired in trouble, but the project that Teacher Chang started to help him has also dragged down innocent villagers.

"Trying to help others but ending up harming them instead."

Overwhelmed by immense self-blame and a sense of powerlessness, Guzalinur was consumed by grief.

"Guzalinur, the account balance... is zero again."

Aihmaiti turned the computer screen toward Guzalinur; the numbers on it were cold and glaring.

Only the three core members remained in the studio, and the air was so heavy it was hard to breathe.

"As for Teacher Chang, the villagers who are cooperating with him are still asking about compensation..."

Guzalinur looked at the several boxes of "Intangible Cultural Heritage" gift box samples piled up in the corner, which were unwanted and expensive.

Large and comprehensive, heavy design, high cost, long cycle... These advantages that were once thought to be advantages have all become fatal weaknesses in the face of harsh reality.

Guzalinur suddenly spoke up: "We were wrong."

Azgul and Aihmaiti both looked up in astonishment.

"We were wrong from the very beginning."

Guzalinur stood up, walked to the pile of gift boxes, picked one up, and stroked the exquisite embroidery and wood carvings on it.

"We always want to create something substantial and high-quality, something that incorporates all aspects of culture, something that makes people think, 'Wow, Xinjiang culture is profound and extensive' at first glance."

But we forget that most people first encounter something not because of its profoundness, but because it's interesting, attractive, affordable, or usable.

"The gift box model is too heavy."

The costs are heavy, the prices are high, and even our steps are so heavy that we can hardly move.

We don't have the resources to educate the market or get consumers to pay for our packaging.

Especially now, we're barely able to survive ourselves.

"Then... what should we do?" Reyina asked.

Guzalinur took a deep breath: "Simplify, abandon gift boxes. Don't go for the big and comprehensive, go for the small and beautiful."

She strode to the whiteboard, picked up a pen, and said: "Our target customers are primarily young people, ordinary people who like new things, are willing to pay for design and stories, but have limited spending power."

The product must be lightweight! It must be inexpensive! It must be practical!

Aihmaiti frowned. "This...this is completely different from what we used to do."

Isn't it too...too shallow?

"Depth is not reflected in price and size."

Guzalinur shook her head. "A keychain, if we can explain the story of the totem on it, a phone case."

If we can show people the craftsmanship and aesthetics behind the colors of Atlas, then it has depth.

What we need to do is deliver the weight of culture to ordinary people in the lightest way possible.

She looked at Azgul: "The design will immediately change direction."

We'll use our existing element library to give it a minimalist and stylish makeover.

Goal: Produce at least ten lightweight product samples within a week!

"Then... what about production? And cooperation with fellow villagers?" Reyina asked the crucial question.

Guzalinur pondered for a moment: "Find local small processing plants for production. They're familiar with these small items, have low minimum order quantities, and respond quickly. As for the fellow villagers..."

She remembered Grandma Aisham's worries and the faces that rejected her.

"The cooperation model must be changed. We can no longer just make empty promises and talk about profit sharing."

She stated unequivocally, "We'll use the simplest and most direct method: a guaranteed buyout."

"We select a few handcrafted parts suitable for decentralized processing, such as a specific embroidery piece or braided knots. We sign simple agreements with cooperatives or artisan families: we provide the designs and some materials, and they pay a 30% deposit in advance."

They completed the work as required, and after we inspected and approved it, we received full cash payment at the pre-agreed unit price. The transaction was simple and clear.

Aihmaiti's eyes lit up: "That way they have almost no risk! They get the deposit first, and we'll definitely accept payment once the goods are made—cash settlement!"

"right."

Guzalinur nodded, "For us, the financial pressure is also less. We don't have to buy all the products at once; we can place orders in small batches and multiple times, and adjust flexibly according to sales."

Even if we earn less or even nothing at first, we must rebuild this chain of trust!

"How can we sell it? This stuff is so cheap, the profit margin is so low, how can we sell it?"

Reyina was still a little worried.