The Project on Supporting and Development of SME Cluster 2021 for the Health and Wellness Economy Cluster
The Project on Supporting and Development of SME Cluster 2021 is supported by the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP) and Thailand Textile Institute, the co-operating agency on the Health and Wellness Economy cluster. The purpose of the project is to:
1) Promote and drive co-operation and linkage between SMEs, from upstream to midstream to downstream industries, to become a strong cluster.
2) Support capacity building of MSME entrepreneurs in the cluster to become the next generation of entrepreneurs with a competitive edge. They will incorporate innovation and technology to further develop the production process (including product and service designs), quality standards and management system, adding value to products and services.
3) Enhance marketing competitiveness by creating added marketing value for products and sizes of companies in the cluster and carrying out suitable marketing activities.
4) Create a strategic development plan for future cluster operations.
The Health and Wellness Economy Cluster brings together micro- to medium-sized textile and lifestyle product producers by connecting entrepreneurs from upstream industries to those from downstream industries. The cluster consists of five sub-clusters:
1) Hemp and Natural Fibre Cluster
2) Circular Textile Cluster
3) Sportech Cluster
4) Ageing Lifestyle Cluster – Central Region
5) Ageing Lifestyle Cluster – North Eastern (Isan) Region
This project uses the BCG (Bio-Circular-Green) Economic Model as a guideline for product development in line with government policies. The Thai government promotes the BCG economy as a new economic model for inclusive and sustainable growth. The BCG model capitalises on the country’s strengths in biodiversity and cultural richness and employs technology and innovation to transform Thailand into a value-based and innovation-driven economy. The model also conforms with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is intended to align with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) which is one of the key principles of Thailand’s social and economic development.
Marketing promotional activities are an important part of the project’s goal to increase sales channels for companies in the cluster. Thirty-five representatives are taking part in marketing activities and they offer a wide range of products, including banana fibre bags, batik silk scarves, natural indigo dyed fabrics, anti-bacterial face masks, patient transfer sheets, organic cotton baby clothes, recycled cotton T-shirts and sportswear. These products are not only of high quality and well-made, but they also represent the Thai wellness style.
