Shandong Longtu Housewares Co Ltd – located in Zibo, in East China's Shandong province – is deeply engaged in the craft of weaving, a well-known form of intangible cultural heritage in the city and is successfully selling its products to the world.
The company built its factory near Mata Lake, the biggest wetland in the central region of Shandong province. People from there are good at making household decorations and daily necessities out of the stems, leaves of cattails, reeds and wickers due to the region's handicraft traditions and rich natural resources.
Handmade products, from Shandong Longtu Housewares Co Ltd, go on show. [Photo/zbnews.net]
The handmade eco-friendly products are now being well received all over the world. With the explosive growth of the green household market, the company has developed new products made of original bark, wood, bamboo, twine and other natural materials and has also introduced machines such as a laser-cutting devices to boost productivity.
To promote the development of straw weaving culture, the Longtu Housewares and School of Fine Arts at Shandong University of Technology set up a research and development center in 2021. As a result, the university now offers straw weaving courses and has added straw weaving design projects to its graduation list.
Longtu Housewares has more than 1,000 kinds of products – exported to more than 40 countries and regions such as Europe, America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East – and revenue hit 70.55 million yuan ($10.56 million) in 2021.
In addition, the company was selected as one of the 100 leading enterprises in the handicrafts industry in Shandong this year.
