In southern Poland, a small rural town is building on historic tradition to fuel their economy in the 21st century. But what exactly are they building and what are they builing with? Well, everything from hats to baskets to bras are being fashioned out of Wicker in Rudnik-on-San (the name of the town).
After the fall of communism here in 1989, the market dealt Rudnik-on-San a pretty bad hand. Wicker factories which had worked non-stop for the past 40 years were shut down and the town faced severe a severe depression. However, there has since been a turnaround. With help from the European Union, and a growing demand for wicker products, many have taken up the ancient craft once more. Although the residents of this small town compete squarely with Chinease wicker, they have been able to remain competative, as they are more responsive to demand and are closer to markets where eco-friendly products are wanted.
While many wicker workshops are nothing more than the basements of normal houses, the industry has been able to relieve unemployment and gain international attention. The next time you search for that special, handmade gift, for a friend or relative, just remember that wicker can be shaped into just about anything, including that perfect new DVD player. No word on whether it will play DivX though. |