Kader Rahman, a 46-year-old embroiderer in the city of Hami in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, is helping lift over a hundred people out of poverty using traditional Hami embroidery.

"The embroidery features patterns that combine various flowers including lotus and other beautiful elements," he said.

The traditional embroidery has a history of more than 400 years. When a woman gets married in Hami, her mother usually makes her a set of hand-embroidered bedding including pillows and cushions as a dowry, thus keeping the stitching tradition alive.

Embroidery is still an integral part of life for people in Hami. It is found on people's clothing, bedding and other articles of daily use. Popular patterns include brightly-colored flowers and animals.