More than 800,000 glass balls made in Cluj-Napoca (western Romania) reach all the parts of the world every year. In 2011 they made a model that caused a stir on the US market, where they sold about 100,000 balls, reads daily Adevarul.The new model is decorated with silk flowers, beads, gold foils and imitation diamonds and is distributed in the US by a well-known store chain, which includes 1,150 stores.
Mihaela Turcu, manager of the factory in Cluj-Napoca, explained to Adevarul daily what the inspiration source for this ball was: ‘As a rule, glass balls follow women’s fashion. This is what happened to the best sold glass ball this year too.’
This year glass, porcelain, feathers, small sequins, colour beads and white pearls are in fashion. The star of Christmas 2011 is the white-purple combination, but also golden, turquoise and much red. Large-sized glass balls, more sophisticated and expressive, are in fashion, says Mihaela Turcu.
She also said that she had already received orders for Christmas 2012 and knows that next year green glass balls will be in high demand.
The owners of the factory, Mihaela and Gheorghe Turcu, laid the foundations of the family business in 1992, having one glass blower and a ceramic expert that used to paint the glass balls.
Now the small factory has 40 employees and delivers glass balls to all parts of the world: the USA, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Austria and Switzerland.
