Coming Back From Oz
by Wanda Jankowski,Editor-in-Chief

While waiting for an old movie to begin recently on the Turner Classic Movies channel, I watched an interview with the offbeat John Waters, perhaps best known for producing, directing, writing and acting in the original and 2007 remake of the “Hairspray” film. The interview was conducted to promote the channel’s upcoming showing of the 1939 classic, “The Wizard of Oz” and focused on Waters’ reactions to the film.

Waters with tongue in cheek questioned why Dorothy would bother to come back to Kansas when she could have stayed in Oz. After all, Oz was filled with stunning technicolor, interesting characters and beautiful sights to see from Munchkinland to the Emerald City.

And what would she be leaving behind in Kansas? A grumpy Auntie Em who dresses in drab clothes, black-and-white scenery and the prospect of singing about “somewhere over the rainbow” to farm animals and her dog who can’t understand her. Waters conjectured that Dorothy as an adult would probably wind up working in the local 7-11 wishing she hadn’t come back from her wondrous dreamland.

But Dorothy didn’t see it that way. She came back to a place she knew and loved.

In this issue, we tackle some of the pros and cons of Oz versus Kansas for the textile industry in “Made in the USA.” It has been more than a decade since the exodus to the Oz-es worldwide—from Pakistan and India to China and Vietnam—began in full force. There seemed to be little downside and the cost advantages were overwhelming. But as with all circumstances in life, there is usually more than one way to accomplish a goal.

With the current devaluation of the U.S. dollar, the rising cost of fuel and shipping, the questioning of quality control from some overseas factories and the political outcry over the continuing loss of American jobs to workers overseas, manufacturing abroad today has its challenges as well as its advantages.

Our focus on businesses that are thriving here in the states reinforces a kind of wizard-of-Oz-like—and American—philosophy that if you are smart enough and try hard enough, anything is possible. That’s a point of view that gets buried under 21st century cynicism all too often.

Speaking of optimism, 7W New York threw an 80th anniversary V.I.P. shindig for LDB Interior Textiles during February market. In the “Editors’ Scrapbook,” you’ll see event highlights. What made the “Designing the Future” event at the 7 West 34 Street building particularly special were the guest designers—Clodagh, Jessica McClintock, Rebecca Moses, Charlotte Moss and Eileen West. It was a fun, easygoing evening. Thanks to those who attended and to all our readers and advertisers for enabling us to continue reporting on the home textile versions of Oz, Kansas and everything in between.