FROM TAILORS TO MENTORS
Mr Văn Lãnh and Mrs Nguyễn Thị Dạ Thảo Trâm had many years of experience making tailored suits and formalwear before becoming part of the CORMIS Upcycled Fabric Team.
Before joining CORMIS, despite their years of experience in tailoring, they had never thought that leftover fabric could be given a new life and transformed into new products. Their journey with CORMIS opened up a new way of seeing materials that might otherwise have been considered no longer useful.
Starting with simple experiments, Trâm began creating and developing new products from leftover fabric, particularly different types of bags. The more they worked with these materials, the more they realized that upcycling fabric is not only about reducing waste and making better use of resources. It can also create useful products and open up new opportunities for the community.
At CORMIS, they not only make and develop products from upcycled fabric, but also play an important role in building the skills and capacity of members with disabilities in the team. Drawing on their tailoring experience, they share their skills, guide members through different stages of the work, and support them in gradually developing their sewing skills, confidence, and ability to work more independently.
Their presence also helps create an inclusive working environment where people with and without disabilities can work together, share, learn from one another, and grow together. Each person brings their own abilities while also having the opportunity to learn from those around them.
Through their time at CORMIS, Lãnh and Trâm have come to believe even more strongly that when people with disabilities are given opportunities, appropriate skills, and a supportive working environment, they can create valuable products and earn an income through their own abilities.
For Lãnh and Trâm, their work at CORMIS has therefore become much more than transforming leftover fabric into new products. From being skilled tailors, they have become mentors — sharing their skills, building capacity, and creating opportunities for people to learn, work, and grow together.