This textile brand from Cambodia has been on a mission to revive the country’s traditional fabric Soeung Khmer.
Often appearing with perfectly matched hand-woven attire, Sopheap Chen is a renowned Cambodian entrepreneur whose clothing tells her story and reflects her ambition to help women across Cambodia.
Her aspiration came on a day in 2015 as she wanted to find ‘Soeung Khmer,’ a traditional fabric worn by elder Cambodians during auspicious occasions, for a workshop. After an extensive search, she found only one length, buried in the dust at the back of a shop.
Vendors told her throughout her search that “there was no market, and people didn’t need it” or “it was six months ago that the last person asked me for this fabric.”
In disbelief, she went the very next day to Koh Dach, a weaving community within Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, to view the supply chain situation for herself.
Upon arrival, her memory of the community was undone, as the once vibrant village had fallen quiet, with mostly only the elderly and young children remaining. Asking villagers, Sopheap heard of how the women had to travel far away and work in factories to support their families, as the demand for Soeung Khmer was insufficient for them to work full time. According to the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training of Cambodia, the situation was not only in Koh Dach but across all lower-income communities nationwide.
Having studied nursing in university and working in public health organizations, Sopheap became worried about the development of children in these villages. With her concern over the separation of children and parents combined with her desire to revive the traditional fabric of Cambodia before it disappeared, Sopheap set about thinking of ways to turn the situation around.
Before leaving, she asked a group of villagers if they would be willing to restart their production of Soeung Khmer, promising to help revive market demand. She returned with samples of their fabrics and began working with her connections to transform the materials from simple traditional skirts (sarongs), into scarves, suits, sleeves, handbags, and even wallets.
Introducing the creations to her friends and wearing them herself so she could share about them when complimented, Sopheap gradually initiated a market for the fabric. Eventually, by passing on her story of wanting to help the community, she became well-known and interviewed by various media outlets, making her products nationally recognized.
Today, nearly eight years later, the once little-known fabric of Soeung Khmer has turned into a popular and sought-after part of the contemporary fashion world. Moreover, from just a small group of 12 producers, now over 400 families across Cambodia earn an income, generate savings, and most importantly, work from home with time to spare for their loved ones.
Sopheap’s dedication to improving the lives of Cambodian women has made her an inspiration, and she is now a role model for female entrepreneurs, impacting many lives with her success.
Her story has also won her many awards from various agencies both nationally and internationally. KTK products have even been chosen for airline crew uniforms and as the attire of prominent Cambodian politicians.
As it grew into a prominent business, Sopheap registered her brand in 2020 to ensure that her products would receive protection under Intellectual Property rights laws. Through the registration, she hoped to help people feel more confident in her brand, that they would see the logo engraved on the product as an assurance of originality, and that every purchase contributes to the betterment of society.
Additionally, Sopheap shared that her sales grew 15-20% upon receiving a certificate of authenticity and that it enabled her to penetrate the international market, as foreign buyers prefer products with IP registration.