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Article: MAKING IT IN AMERICA; COTTAGE INDUSTRIES KEEP THINGS CLOSE TO HOME TO SURVIVE IN A BIG-BUSINESS WORLD.
- Article from:
- WWD
- Article date:
- March 31, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Conde Nast Publications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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In corporate America, where offshore production and mass-produced imports are de rigueur these days, it might seem that the cottage industry is a relic of the past. But these small businesses, which often combine designing and manufacturing, are out to prove they can make it in America, while keeping the mom-and-pop mentality of yesteryear close to heart.
In fact, the strongest common denominator among these businesses is dedication to their own communities.
Natalie Chanin, president of Project Alabama, one of the most well-known cottage industries, started her business in 2000 in rural, poverty-stricken Florence, Ala., which was decimated by textile ...