In Linshu County, Linyi City, Shandong Province, there is a well-known “First Broom Village in Southeastern Shandong” — Xiguan Village. With its thriving broom industry, the village is writing an impressive chapter in rural revitalization.
Stepping into the village’s broom processing workshop, one can witness a bustling scene. Villagers use natural materials such as corn stalks and sorghum ears, processing them through over ten steps, including screening, bundling, and tying, to create durable and aesthetically pleasing brooms that are well-received in the market.
Xiguan Village has a long history of broom-making, with nearly every household mastering this craft. In the past, villagers primarily made brooms for personal use or to sell at nearby markets, which was small-scale and unorganized. However, as times changed, some insightful individuals in the village recognized the potential commercial value behind broom-making. With the active guidance and support of the village’s leadership, residents began to attempt large-scale, industrialized production.
In recent years, Xiguan Village has leveraged its century-old broom-weaving skills and solid industrial foundation to implement precise policies and sustained efforts, successfully transforming the seemingly unremarkable “small broom” into a “big industry” that drives income growth for villagers and promotes rural development, striving to build the prestigious brand of “China’s First Broom Village.” The village has established the Xiguan Broom Specialty Industry Cooperative to effectively integrate resources and promote large-scale development.
To expand sales channels, Xiguan Village actively explores the “Internet +” model, encouraging the development of new products that combine practicality with artistry, constantly expanding market opportunities. The younger generation of villagers has used e-commerce platforms to sell the village’s brooms nationwide and even overseas. Simultaneously, the village has established long-term partnerships with several major supermarkets and cleaning product distributors, further increasing its market share.
Currently, the village has nurtured 12 major broom processing businesses, producing over 12 million brooms and 8 million rice brooms (cooking brooms) annually. This initiative has facilitated employment for more than 300 local villagers, generating an annual output value of 60 million yuan and creating an industrial cluster effect that radiates to surrounding villages, promoting collective development.