Invisible heroines: role of women in preserving craft heritage in BRICS countries

On the slopes of the Himalayas, in the coastal villages of Brazil, across the steppes of Orenburg, and in the misty mountains of China, women continue to create with their hands. According to 2024 data, the global market for handmade goods reached US$906.8 billion, while exports of creative products have grown more than three and a half times over the past two decades. Three-quarters of these items are produced by women artisans. Their role is particularly significant in BRICS countries, where craft has become a tool of economic stability, environmental transformation, and cultural diplomacy.

Lace from Alagoas

In north-eastern Brazil, in the state of Alagoas, women make renda file – lace inspired by fishing nets and recognised as part of the country’s intangible cultural heritage.

The process begins with weaving a mesh base of 100 per cent cotton, stretched over a wooden frame. The craftswomen then embroider bright patterns with a needle. These motifs form a kind of visual language, telling stories of local nature and Brazilian folklore.

For two centuries, filezeiras (as lace-makers are called) have produced tablecloths, clothing and jewellery. Today, designers work directly with the women, bypassing intermediaries, making renda file Alagoana part of the new economy. It is financially independent, zero-waste production using local materials. The lace has become not only an elegant pattern but also a model of adaptation woven into everyday life.

From Brazil’s coastal villages we move to the vast Eurasian steppe – where frosty silence gave rise to a barely perceptible thread of warmth.

The Orenburg Down Shawl

In the 18th century, in the Urals, widows of Cossacks began spinning goats down and knitting lace items to support themselves and feed their children. This was the origin of the Orenburg down shawl.

At the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, a shawl made of white goat down amazed the international audience and secured Orenburg craftswomen a permanent place in textile history. The secret lies in the local goats: their fine down produces yarn that retains warmth even in forty-degree frosts, while the shawls remain light as a “cobweb.”

Today, fewer hands in the villages are capable of such painstaking knitting, but the craft survives thanks to enthusiasm and renewed interest in slow fashion. For many women it is not only a way to preserve tradition but also an opportunity to remain in their native village, providing themselves with work, income and meaning in life.

From the snow-swept plains of Orenburg, the path leads deeper into the heart of Asia, where embroidery gives voice to the Miao people.

Miao Embroidery

The Miao of Guizhou Province have no written language, but their embroidery serves as an archive of history, myths and rituals. From childhood, girls learn to embroider with silk, weave, make patchwork mosaics and pleat skirts.

Of particular note is the rare couching technique using tin strips. The craftswomen stitch geometric patterns on fabric, then wrap each stitch with tiny metal tubes, creating designs resembling metallic lace.

Craft in BRICS countries is not only about aesthetics or tradition but also about a living economy. Women form communities, work with designers and enter export markets. Production is eco-friendly: natural materials are used, waste is minimised, and nature is treated with care.

Above all, it is a way of speaking – about themselves, their history, and their right to remain on their land and manage their own lives. These invisible heroines, armed only with needle and thread, not only preserve heritage but also weave together the past, present and future into a single cultural fabric.

Material provided by BRICS Bloggers Team participant and resident of the Centre for New Media, Darya Chichimova.

The Autonomous Non-Commercial Organisation " Resource Centre for New Media" collaborates with over 500 bloggers. They are engaged in promoting working professions, domestic and international tourism, and promoting the brand of regions. Influencers receive opportunities to develop their media presence, competencies and useful communications, can create joint projects within the community and promote quality content on social networks.