Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Ren Jiang) news: In the bright and spacious workshop of Kashi Zumeier Clothing Co., Ltd., workers are busy with their tasks. Some are carefully braiding hair for the toy dolls called "gul's doll," while others are sewing colorful children's clothes made of the traditional Atlas silk. It's a scene of bustling yet orderly activity.
"Our products are in high demand now," said Parida Turdi, the head of the company. "The gul's doll' is very popular in many scenic spots in Xinjiang." Recently, Parida led visitors through the company's hall, which is filled with a variety of children's clothes, fashion items, and dolls.
Photo shows Parida Turdi showcases the characteristic dolls to visitors. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/Ren Jiang)
The company is located in Tuomabeixi Village, Hexia'awati Town, Peyziwat County. From the courtyard, you can see the farmlands and irrigation ditches just a stone's throw away. This company, which originated from the countryside, now mainly produces children's clothes, hand-embroidered items, custom-made clothing, and toy dolls. The gul's doll has become a well-known brand. In 2024, the company's sales reached three million yuan (about 417,000 U.S. dollars). Parida Turdi said, "Currently, the domestic market and the tourism market are our main focuses."
In 2016, Parida Turdi established a clothing factory in the village, providing local employment for over 200 villagers. However, the company soon faced challenges due to fierce competition in the low-end textile market.
Later in 2018, she created 15 ethnic-styled dolls for a local tourism festival in just one week. Their success led to a surge in orders and turned gul's doll into the company's new best-seller.
The success of gul's doll prompted Parida to pivot the company towards producing Xinjiang-themed clothing and toys, swiftly exiting the low-end market.
Since 2020, guided by local officials, the company embraced online sales via live-streaming. Parida, the first live-streamer, targeted tourists and the broader national market, using Mandarin. Daily live-streaming and combined online-offline efforts have since steadily boosted the company's profile.
Photo shows employees sew clothes. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/Ren Jiang)
The thriving tourism in Xinjiang has driven the growth of the company. It has created over a dozen cultural products like gift sets and car ornaments based on gul's doll. The keychain gift box even made it into the 2024 Xinjiang Gift Product Catalogue. Now, its products are sold in most of Xinjiang's scenic spots, with hand-embroidered items and evening dresses also being popular tourist choices.
Gul's doll, beloved by tourists, embodies Xinjiang's unique charm and its spirit of integration. The company's dolls, representing various ethnic groups with distinct hairstyles and costumes, create a harmonious and joyful display. They are crafted using Atlas silk and feature a "neo-Chinese" style, with the cheongsam being the most popular item and Parida's personal favorite. She often wears an Atlas cheongsam for formal events and to welcome guests.
The growth of the company's live-streaming ability is also a highlight. At the beginning of live-streaming, employees were generally unfamiliar with it, and Parida almost took on the task alone. Under her leadership and training, the company has now cultivated several capable live-streamers. Many employees have gone from being shy and hesitant to trying it out and becoming proficient, and some have even started their own live-streaming.
Photo taken on June 25, 2025 shows employees sew characteristic dolls. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/Ren Jiang)
A flexible work system has been adopted in Parida’s company, which allows villagers to take materials home and work on a piece-rate basis during the farming season. The company has also provided sewing machines and other equipment for free to many employees. "Even with just one hour of work at home, they can still earn extra income," she said. The company estimates that working at home during the farming-off season can generate over a thousand yuan a month.
The company's talent structure is also improving. Parida was the only college graduate when she started the business, but now five college graduates have joined the company.
Facing the increasingly broad market and bright prospects, Parida has become stricter with product quality. After seeing a gul's doll with loose braids in a scenic spot in Xinjiang due to staff negligence, she immediately introduced a new rule: all doll braids must be tightly braided to ensure they do not become disheveled during transportation and display. "As our market expands, our products, to some extent, represent the image of Xinjiang. The quality must be excellent," Parida said.
(A written permission shall be obtained for reprinting, excerpting, copying and mirroring of the contents published on this website. Unauthorized aforementioned act shall be deemed an infringement, of which the actor shall be held accountable under the law.)