Think of a wooden box that is as large as a foot square, with intricate inlaid geometric designs and patterns of special woods.

FORBES: Japanese Secret Boxes: The Coolest Security Puzzles for Kids and Adults

These companies are flexible, quick to switch designs and marketing patterns to meet the demands of changing fashions around the world.

ECONOMIST: A survey of Italy

The success was driven by an increase in the variety of products, alteration and addition of designs such as new heritage fits, new washes, color palette, prints and patterns.

FORBES: American Eagle Outfitters Preview: Encouraging Trends We Are Watching

But barely two years in, they realized they needed even more money to grow their venture into the kind of business they envisioned: a maker of women's apparel that would let consumers choose from an array of patterns and colors to create their own designs, or select items from the company's collection.

WSJ: Angel Investors Can Help Fund Your Next Step

Influenced by indigenous craft, the embroidery of Venetian courtiers who ruled the country beginning in 1489, and ancient Greek and Byzantine geometric patterns, Lefkara lace is made by hand in designs combining four basic elements: the hemstitch, cut work, satin stitch fillings and needlepoint edgings.

UNESCO: Culture

The Graphics Factory: Create textures, backgrounds, designs, repeating tiles, patterns, artwork, landscapes, clouds, wood grains, marbling, and more.

CNN: Top 10 art tools