The oldest Russian matryoshka factory in Sergiyev Posad near Moscow may shut down soon. The factory, famous for its Russian traditional dolls, is on the verge of bankruptcy. It is one of the few factories in Russia that has preserved the ancient traditions of making matryoshka dolls.
According to the factory’s Director General Alexander Slovesnov, lack of funds is the main problem. The factory’s only income comes from souvenir vendors, who buy their matryoshkas in small batches. Countries like the Netherlands, the U.K, Japan and the U.S.A. are also interested in the factory’s products. However, its exports are insignificant and irregular. According to Slovesnov, the factory did not produce any matryoshkas from 2005 to 2009. It has recently restored the production, though on a small scale.
Posted via web from Dogmeat
