From The Hindu, May 12, 1975: Indian goods popular in Poland

Warsaw, May 11: The oriental charm seems to be at work in Poland where more and more people are buying things from the East and India is getting a large share of the sales.

From cool cottons for casual wear to exotic silk brocades for formal evenings, things Indian are the current rage in a string of “orient” shops that have come up of late in several Polish towns.

These “orient” shops also sell goods from China, Egypt, North Korea and Vietnam, but Poles often choose Indian articles when they go out to buy gifts for birthdays, weddings and other festive occasions.

Buyers and the State trading company, Jubiler, alike speak of the good quality of Indian articles and shop girls in the State stores say expensive items from India get sold as fast as the small knick-knacks.

Dresses made of Indian textiles are popular and embroidered cotton blouses, which need little ironing, have become a particular hit with the Polish girls. Indian textiles are also sold by the metre. Indian agate rings are very fashionable among the youth and necklaces, pendants and trinkets made of natural stones add glitter to many a Polish party.

With handicrafts, imports of Indian tea, pepper and condiments have also gone up and sales of Indian articles meant to be given as gifts, which first appeared in Poland in 1971, doubled in 1973 over the previous year’s figure.