A producer of luxury silk is helping revitalize the traditional textile industry — and inspire the local community — in a town devastated by the 3/11 disasters of 2011.
The ultra-fine "fairy feather" silk threads made by Saiei-Orimono Co. were recognized as the world's thinnest in 2012 by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and are now drawing attention from global buyers and illustrious designers.
"It has provided a spark for the whole town to revive," said Kazuichi Fujiwara, secretary-general of a woven fabric industry body in Fukushima Prefecture.