Novitet-Dunav: A Diamond in the Rough

A 136 year old nand-weaving artisan shop in Serbia gets a new look and a new direction.

The picturesque little town of Bezdan lies on the Danube river where Hungary, Croatia and Serbia meet. Population 5,200, it is surrounded by wetlands and broadleaf forests brimming with wildlife. Only 15 miles away from a regional center, the lovely baroque town of Sombor, Bezdan is in an area just waiting to be discovered by the Danube cruise liners.

The town hides a true gem: the last remaining hand-weaving shop of silk Damask in Europe. Fine table and bed linens in original patterns from the mid 19th century are still weaved here on the cherry wood Jacquard looms from the same era. The shop’s current name Novitet-Dunav is a remnant of the former socialist Yugoslavia but its origins date back to the Austro-Hungarian empire.

The history of the place reflects the familiar ethnic mix of the Pannonia region. Founded in 1871 by a Hungarian master weaver Janos Smit, it was a cutting edge facility at the time. Czech looms and the best raw materials imported from all over Europe ensured the quality of the products. Over the years, the shop specialized in silk and cotton Damask fabric.

Times have changed but the production remained the same. Intricate patterns are weaved using the same punch cards; the equipment is equally hard to operate and maintain as it was in the days of master Smit. Jacquard looms require highly skilled weavers who spend years learning their trade. Currently, 23 weavers working on 18 looms are able to produce only about a thousand square meters of fabric per month.

Despite new trends in home textiles, Novitet-Dunav managed to keep a loyal clientele. For many people in Serbia, including my own family, it was “the” place to buy table linens. Upscale hotels and restaurants frequently place custom orders; diplomats on a mission in Serbia bring home sets made specially for them. The former American ambassador Michael Polt visited the shop last spring and was impressed with what he saw.

Although declared a national treasure with foreign dignitaries as customers – granted, their job is to be polite - Novitet-Dunav is not taking full advantage of its potential. Serbia’s isolation in the past decade took a toll on their products. Financial difficulties and limited access to raw materials, forced them to use rayon silk and the same packaging since the 80’s. Privatization did not bring immediate relief as hoped. Serbia’s opening and plans to develop tourism in this extraordinary beautiful Danube region, required new business strategies.

The funds being limited for a struggling company, they made the first and obvious step towards integration with the world: the Internet. Novitet-Dunav website leaves a lot to be desired but they actually use it to communicate with prospects and answer emails regularly which is not always the case with Serbian companies.

Searching for manufacturers to engage in the Pannonia Linens projects, I got in touch with Snezana Trivunovic, in charge of marketing (and so many other things!) in Novitet-Dunav. Snezana’s enthusiasm and love for her work and Bezdan community became evident right away. Together, we embarked on a journey to update the existing products and introduce new ones with minimal initial expense.

After months of exchanging emails, photos and packages (amazingly without a one single phone call between us!) we now have the very first products ready for sale in the U.S. Parallel with developing Pannonia Linens, we outlined a general strategy for Novitet-Dunav to include new products and new markets like gift, wedding and travel. Having a new direction, the company received a grant from the Ministry of Tourism and is looking for other financing avenues as well.

Extreme Makeover: Product Edition (PDF)