igualada

In Igualada, some 50 km west of Barcelona (in Central Catalonia), the neighbourhood called Rec is characterised by its old tanneries and textile factories which were forgotten after years of great activity. Now, the organisers of ‘Rec Stores’ have transformed these spaces into fashion shops. For three days, brands such as Sita Murt, Custo Barcelona and Desigual have sold their latest fashion clothes and accessories. One of the organisers, Jordi Ribaudí, explained that the objective of ‘Rec Stores’ is to “unveil the neighbourhood, giving life to it and structuring it as a part of the city”.

50 balloons from across Europe will participate in the festival’s next edition, which is held from July 4th to 8th, in the town of Igualada, in the centre of Catalonia. Besides, the European Balloon Festival has renewed its logo after sixteen years and the organisation has created a new website where Facebook and Twitter are linked directly to facilitate interaction between the event and the public.

Punto Blanco has its own network to distribute and sell in 37 countries. The Catalan socks and underwear manufacturer has 16 shops, 15 of them in Spain and another in Portugal. Exports might represent 15% of the companies turnover.