It’s always sad when you don’t hear about something neat until it gets publicity for closing down. Kasuri Dyeworks specializes in selling traditional kimono fabrics from Japan. Shop owner Koji Wada has spent years cultivating relationships with the master craftsmen who spin, dye and weave the labor intensive fabrics. But the craftsmen are becoming extinct and supplies are low. Demand remains high for Wada’s wares, but he’s packing up the store’s emptying shelves. While demand for sections of the beautiful fabrics may bring him satisfactory business in the U.S., demand for kimonos in Japan has shrunk considerably. They are no longer a mandatory part of a wedding dowry, nor are they considered practical for most situations. An exceedingly formal ceremony may call for a kimono, but in those cases they are rented. The entertainment workers who used to patronize the kimono makers are suffering from the economy crash which slowed their business. So there are few customers left for the fabric makers, and no incentive for newcomers to learn the trade. Bonus link: Professional quilter, Pamela Hill, a long time customer of Kasuri Dyeworks.