Cambodia: The Story Behind the Website

Color Silk Cambodia

By: Chhoun Mei Neang & Bo Srey Net

This is what the Color Silk Cambodia website looks like.

Silk weaving has always been more than just an artistic craft in Cambodia. As the world goes digital, silk weaving must also adapt to the digital age to survive.

In 2009, Vanntha Ngorn a young woman created Color Silk Cambodia to protect this ancient craft while empowering women and reducing poverty in rural areas. Color Silk Cambodia is a small business run by her with the mission of working to protect the ancient tradition of silk weaving in Cambodia while also empowering women and reducing poverty in the most isolated areas.

The founder of Color Silk, her name is Vanntha.

Color Silk Cambodia has three branches spread across Cambodia. There are offices in Siem Reap and Takeo province, with the head office near the Independent Monument in Phnom Penh. The Siem Reap and Takeo offices focus on silk weaving and training programs for women. Once the silk is made in these two provinces, it is sent to Phnom Penh, where it is listed online and shipped to customers worldwide.

This is how she displays all of her products

Vanntha’s passion goes beyond just admiring it. She often wears silk proudly to events around the world.

“I love silk because it looks elegant. Whenever I wear it to big events, participants always ask where I got my dress. I proudly tell them it is from my own company and crafted by my own people in Cambodia.” she shared. 

The community plants Chumpu seed for silk natural dye

In 2010, Color Silk faced many challenges in reaching international customers as silk products were expensive and unaffordable for most Cambodians. Recognizing the potential of digital technology, the owner decided to create a website using Wix.com.

Wix.com launched in 2006, had grown to 1 million users by 2009. It is a platform that allows anyone to build a professional-looking website without needing coding or technical skills. In the early 2000s, having a website became a common way to sell products online. Color Silk Cambodia’s website stood out from other local businesses because the website of the company offers a unique way to highlight their silk products to customers around the world. This digital tool has been essential in helping them overcome the challenge of reaching an international audience.

The reason people in Cambodia took so long to adapt to innovative technology is because the internet and technology arrived later than in other countries. Building a website at that time required coding expertise, such as HTML, and was quite expensive. Depending on your design, a high-quality website might cost anywhere from $500 to $20,000. The owner of Color Silk chose to use Wix.com for this reason. 

The founder shared her thoughts “I decided to look for a free platform where I can create a website because I do not have the ability to create websites by myself. I also wish to connect with international clients. As a result, I use websites to promote my products.” 

They showcase the technique of silk weaving to the community.

Although Color Silk successfully reached customers in many other countries, they faced challenges selling their products in Cambodia. Despite the high quality of their items, the price was often too expensive for local buyers. Many people were unaware that these handcrafted products are made by local women through a meticulous and costly process.

To connect with more people in Cambodia, Color Silk decided to show the process behind making each product and share more on social media, especially Facebook and Instagram. But building local support will take time. Now, the business plans to use TikTok to share short and creative videos to reach a wider audience, both locally and globally.

Since she hasn’t had much time to create content herself, she decided to work with a digital content creator who specializes in TikTok. She also feels that TikTok is more suited for younger people, as 60% of its users are Gen Z. On TikTok, Color Silk shares the process of making each product and highlights how buying their products helps women support their families and live happily.

This is what the interface of the Cambodia Trade Expo website looks like.

Last week, the Ministry of Commerce launched the Cambodia Trade Expo, and Color Silk was honored to participate in the opening ceremony alongside Prime Minister Hun Manet and Minister H.E. Mrs. Cham Nimul. Cambodia has also introduced a new app that enables seamless shipping of products both locally and internationally, providing a platform for Color Silk to sell its handcrafted items worldwide. This is an exciting milestone for both Cambodia and Color Silk, as it creates an opportunity to showcase the country’s beautiful, handmade products on a global stage.