Caudry, in the north of France, is the world centre of the lace industry, along with Calais. The region has six active companies, which export 80% of their production worldwide, mainly for haute couture and the luxury segment of ready-to-wear clothing. The excellence of the craftsmanship built up in the companies since the 19th century has been recognised by major fashion brands using lace, such as Chanel, Ungaro, Elie Saab and Alexander MQ Queen. However, with the rise of cheap lace production in countries such as China, the high-quality machine lace industry in Calais and Caudry is under serious threat.