as far as i can tell, fabric production is now truly international. the raw materials (e.g. cotton plants, silk pods) are grown in one country, processed somewhere else, perhaps printed yet somewhere else again, and then sold all around the world by companies that are based in different countries.
what i find most fascinating is how different styles of material and prints are popular in different countries.
the result is that quilters have unique opportunities. we can build international stashes that represent popular trends around the world (as our individual tastes and budgets permit). and, if it matters to us as individuals, most of us can choose to buy the finished products from "local" producers, websites and/or shops - no matter where we live.
we can gave our cake and eat it, too. how often does that happen?
