Our business started with a tailor, Mr Rokowsky, who emigrated
here from Russia and opened a tailor's shop in the
Spalenvorstadt.
Over the years, the business expanded and he opened a small
factory in Birmannsgasse where, amongst other
articles of clothing, he manufactured skirts and overalls. To
sell his left-over fabrics, he opened a small
factory shop, the cloth market, in Birmannsgasse. After his
death, one of his sons took over the factory and
the other son took over the cloth market. The cloth market was
a big success and very well-known as a place to buy low-cost
fabrics. Unfortunately, due to increasing health problems, the owner
was unable to keep the cloth market open on
a regular basis.
At the beginning of 1994, we, Barbara Klotz and Beat Ramseier,
were able to take over the market and to reopen it
after a complete renovation. We changed and upgraded the choice
of fabrics to include a more valuable and innovative
range. Soon, the cloth market's reputation began to grow and
became an insider tip for good quality, good value
fabrics in the Basel area.
After nine successful years, we moved to the inner city of
Basel and and changed the name of our business to
stofftraum. We now have a light and attractive space to display
our fabrics to their greatest advantage in a
bright and friendly atmosphere.
During the time in which we have
been buying and selling fabrics, the textile industry in Europe
has changed
dramatically. Many European producers have been forced to close
and the Far East dominates the market.
Developments in technology have changed the face of fabric design,
which has become extremely inventive and even
small companies develop thousands of new fabrics every year.
In the old days, fabrics were produced in bulk and
then sold afterwards at trade fairs. Nowadays, thanks to new
technology, patterns are designed first and the
fabrics are produced only after a buyer has been found. This
makes buying somewhat more complicated.
Through our travelling and our good relationships with producers
and suppliers, we are nevertheless in the happy
position to continue to be able to present to you an exciting,
unusual and varied choice of fabrics. |
