South African town sees gold in ostrich plumes

From fashion runways around the world, to the Moulin Rouge cabaretin Paris and the Rio carnival, South African ostrich feathers have taken center stage.

The country dominates the world market, generating around 70% of by-products, including feathers, leather, eggs, and meat, with the majority of these coming from the town of Oudtshoorn,of South Africa’s Western Cape. Once more valuable than gold by weight and the country's fourth-largest export, the ostrich feather industry took a hit after World War I. Despite the ups and downs since then, Oudtshoorn ostrich plumes are still prized.