Getting to know each other is very important to us. That is why in the following links you will find information regarding who we are, why we offer these products, what we aim at, etc.

 • About Frontera Sur
 • About Frontera Sur SHOP
 • About Frontera Sur POLO
 • About Frontera Sur RETAILER
 • Our History
 • Frontera Sur Philosophy
 • Art of Craft / Learn MORE
 • Conservation effort
 • Management
 • Press Releasess
 • Catalog request
 • Q & A

About Frontera Sur

Frontera Sur = Direct Merchant of Unique Argentine Goods.

Frontera Sur is one of the world’s first companies that markets, distributes and sells artisan and high-quality Argentine products to boutiques and stores in the U.S and Europe.

Frontera Sur’s products include natural materials such as Andean wools, silver, saddle and full grain leathers which are not mass-manufactured. Instead, they are produced by local craftsmen and artisans using traditional methods. Major products’ categories include sweaters, throws and blankets, pillowcases, rugs, jewelry, furniture, footwear, table settings, bags, books and decorative items. We have recently added a Polo section for those who love the game of polo and everything around it.

An e-commerce website is being developed ( www.fronterasur.com) as well as a high-end catalog. The company is in its Business-to-Business phase, whereby Frontera Sur will distribute its products to boutiques and stores through representatives that live in the U.S. The e-commerce website and catalog are part of its Business-to-Consumer strategy that will follow.

Founded in 2002 by Iván Maschwitz, the company was selected by the Endeavor Foundation from 200 other projects to receive the help of a group of MBA students in the Sloane Business School, MIT University, with the creation of the business plan.

The company’s ultimate vision is to make Frontera Sur a lifestyle brand, widely recognized as a timeless provider of unique products. It aims at introducing discerning consumers to the beauty of Argentina in the form of fashionable and functional products. Through growing the business and brand name, the company seeks to help in the development and promotion of Argentina and its people.

Frontera Sur’s management team is composed of life-long Argentine residents with extensive experience in the retail and catalog businesses. The company’s expertise includes merchandising, searching the Argentine countryside for unique products and maintaining strong relationships with the most traditional local handicraft houses.

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About Frontera Sur Shop

In these pages you will find unique, high quality Argentine products, made by experienced craftsmen and artisans who have devoted long hours to the making of these goods, using indigenous raw materials such as Andean wools, silver, full grain leathers, and native wood, following traditional methods.

Thus, when you receive our products you can be certain that the piece you’ve purchased will be unique and precious.

Browse our website for a full outlook of our products. We’re sure there’s bound to be something perfect for you, a loved one or your home.

About Frontera Sur POLO

In this section you will find state of the art polo products handcrafted by Argentina’s most well known artisans and saddlers. Some are famous around the world and that is why we have special sections to display their products. Extreme dedication and precise achievement for elements used in one of the world’s most amazing sports.

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We not only sell our products to selected clients and individuals. We also provide shops and stores with our stock of special items that we believe their own clients and customers will love. With a specific registration and a password, retailers will have access to special prices and newsletters.

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Our History

Mr. Maschwitz was co-founder and Sales and Marketing manager of SiCompra, Argentina’s first catalog marketing company offering imported products for sale in Argentina. There, he gained significant experience in direct marketing and was instrumental in helping to grow SiCompra from a fledging startup to an established company with $250,000/month of revenues within fifteen months. His responsibilities included catalog design, marketing, sales representatives and accomplishing new businesses. Mr. Maschwitz negotiated distribution agreements with MasterCard, VISA Argentina as well as five major banks including Citibank. In addition, he negotiated supplier contracts with companies such as Sony, Timberland and Nike.

Cuando la devaluación echó por tierra su primer emprendimiento, Iván Maschwitz no se dio por vencido y creó dos años después Frontera Sur, una empresa que lleva productos argentinos con historia a los hogares de Europa y Estados Unidos.

En 2000, este ingeniero industrial armó Sí Compra, una compañía de venta por catálogo que llegó a facturar US$ 250.000 mensuales. Pero con el fin de la convertibilidad, el modelo de negocios resultó inviable y tuvo que volver a empezar.

Maschwitz empezó entonces a estudiar alternativas y decidió dar vuelta su propuesta para llevar productos argentinos artesanales a los consumidores de alto poder adquisitivo de Europa y Estados Unidos. Así comenzó a gestarse Frontera Sur, que comercializa desde carteras y camperas de cuero hasta muebles y platería.

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Frontera Sur Philosophy

The philosophy of our business, from the moment it was created, is to help our native and traditional artisans and craftsmen to develop and sell their handicrafts around the world, and in so doing, create extra working positions and a better income for them and their families.

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Stories, Trivia and Useful Tips

In our website you will find stories of our artisans, data about parts of Argentina, and ways handicrafts are created, from the preparation of the material to the manufacturing process. Also, some useful tips on care of our products. Click on your topic of interest and enjoy the information..

Personal Stories
    Daniel’s Story
    Paula’s “Natural” Story
    Roberto’s Story
    An Artisan’s Story “Panza verde”
    Aldo Sessa’s Story

How To
    Braid Tiento or Raw Hide Strands
    Dye Products
    Manufacture Leather Goods
    Weave on Manual Looms
    Make shawls

About Argentina
    Humahuaca Gorge
    General Information
    History of Leather

Care Information
    Care Instructions for Carpincho leather.
    Alpaca Metal
    Care of wool garments

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Conservation Effort

Due to the nature of our products, we are an environment-friendly business. Most of our products are dyed using natural dyes and in the case of leather, its vegetable tanned. All our textile line has been manufactured with either llama or lambswool, or a combination of both. Most of our jewelry line is manufactured using raw hide strands, braided and knotted.

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Management.

Frontera Sur’s management team is composed of life-long Argentine residents with extensive experience in the retail and catalog businesses. The Company’s expertise includes merchandising, searching the Argentine countryside for unique products and maintaining strong relationships with the most traditional local handicraft houses.

Key Personnel

Iván Maschwitz Founder and CEO

Iván Maschwitz is the founder, chairman and CEO of Frontera Sur. He is responsible for the creation of the whole company: planning and developing the business, getting suppliers, studying market opportunities, defining brand positioning and assembling a working team. His responsibilities include marketing, contact and management of sales force representatives, catalog and website design and handling the financial areas.

Mr. Maschwitz was co-founder and Sales and Marketing manager of SiCompra, Argentina’s first catalog marketing company offering imported products for sale in Argentina. There, he gained significant experience in direct marketing and was instrumental in helping to grow SiCompra from a fledging startup to an established company with $250,000/month of revenues within fifteen months. His responsibilities included catalog design, marketing, sales representatives and accomplishing new businesses. Mr. Maschwitz negotiated distribution agreements with MasterCard, VISA Argentina as well as five major banks including Citibank. In addition, he negotiated supplier contracts with companies such as Sony, Timberland and Nike.

Prior to SiCompra, Mr. Maschwitz was a corporate account executive with HSBC Bank where he gained relevant experience in account management, knowledge of the market, human resources and customer service.

Mr. Maschwitz is a member of the Board of Directors of Godspell College in San Isidro, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

He holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from the Universidad Católica de Argentina in Buenos Aires and went to a study in an abroad program at The Knox School in St. James, New York in 1990.

Born in Argentina and a lifelong resident of Buenos Aires, he enjoys playing golf, windsurfing and soccer.

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Press Release

ARGENTINE PRODUCTS ARRIVE IN THE US

NEW YORK, February 25, 2004- Frontera Sur, a new business in the US, is launching this month tomorrow. The company markets, distributes, and sells high-quality Argentine products to distinctive boutiques and fashionable stores in major U.S. cities. The company is also developing a refined and robust e-commerce website ( www.fronterasur.com) and a high-end catalog to distribute to consumers. Major products include sweaters, blankets, jewelry, accent furniture, bags, and decorative items.

“Through growing the business and brand name, the company also aims to help develop and promote the country of Argentina and its people”, says Iván Maschwitz, Founder, CEO and expert in direct marketing techniques.

Frontera Sur’s products are made from natural, indigenous materials such as Andean wools, silver, full and top-grain leathers. The goods are not mass-manufactured but rather produced by local craftsmen and artisans using traditional methods. The suite of products can be divided into six main categories: Leather, Textiles, Silverware, Wood Crafts, Native Products, Books & Prints.

Frontera Sur is an entrepreneurial venture with a management team composed of life-long Argentine residents with extensive experience in the retail and catalog businesses. The company’s expertise includes merchandising, searching the Argentine countryside for products and maintaining strong relationships with the most sophisticated local craft houses.

Frontera Sur’s mission is to present the world with unique, high-quality Argentine goods to the world markets. The company’s ultimate vision is to make Frontera Sur a lifestyle brand, widely recognized as a timeless provider of unique products. Headquarters in Argentina, it aims to introduce discerning consumers to the beauty of Argentina in the form of fashionable and functional products. The corporate headquarters is located in Buenos Aires.

For further information, please contact:
Barbara Lima Quintana
Head of the Communications Department
barbara@fronterasur.com
(917) 438-7010

Maschwitz: "La oferta es para Consumidores de alto poder adquisitivo" Foto: Fernanda Corbani

Economía, Diario La Nación
Lunes 14 de Febrero de 2005
Emprendedores

Artesanías argentinas premium para clientes exigentes de EE.UU. y Europa

Frontera Sur prevé facturar US$ 150.000 con la exportación de cuero, textiles y platería

Cuando la devaluación echó por tierra su primer emprendimiento, Iván Maschwitz no se dio por vencido y creó dos años después Frontera Sur, una empresa que lleva productos argentinos con historia a los hogares de Europa y Estados Unidos.

En 2000, este ingeniero industrial armó Sí Compra, una compañía de venta por catálogo que llegó a facturar US$ 250.000 mensuales. Pero con el fin de la convertibilidad, el modelo de negocios resultó inviable y tuvo que volver a empezar.

Maschwitz empezó entonces a estudiar alternativas y decidió dar vuelta su propuesta para llevar productos argentinos artesanales a los consumidores de alto poder adquisitivo de Europa y Estados Unidos. Así comenzó a gestarse Frontera Sur, que comercializa desde carteras y camperas de cuero hasta muebles y platería.

"No fue fácil empezar con todo de nuevo y por suerte tuve ayuda. En la fundación Endeavor me comentaron que un profesor del MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology] iba a visitar el país para conocer emprendimientos y me ayudaron a contactarlo", explicó Maschwitz.

"Después de la reunión, el profesor aceptó el proyecto para que los estudiantes de allá me ayudaran con el plan de negocios. Ellos lo hacen como parte de su MBA así que me fui 15 días a Estados Unidos y trabajamos en lo que sería Frontera Sur", agregó.

Tras analizar el negocio con los estudiantes del MIT, el ingeniero reunió cinco inversores que depositaron US$ 100.000 y puso en marcha la compañía. Armó una sociedad en la Argentina y otra en Estados Unidos para ofrecer respaldo a los compradores. Según señala, la idea fue "presentar una oferta para consumidores de alto poder adquisitivo, que se interesen en lo artesanal".

"No quise llegar a Estados Unidos o Europa con bolsos de cuero de 100 dólares porque sino iba a terminar compitiendo con productos chinos. Arme una oferta premium con cuatro áreas: cueros, textiles, platería y decoración", sostuvo el empresario. "Todos los productos traen una explicación sobre los materiales con los que están hechos. También tienen información sobre el artesano porque no se trata sólo de vender, sino también de contar algo", añadió.

Con esa oferta, Frontera Sur ingresó en los canales minoristas de Europa y Estados Unidos y facturó más de US$ 30.000 el año último. Si bien el objetivo del emprendedor es estructurar la oferta en catálogos, los costos lo obligaron a pasar primero por los negocios tradicionales.

Actualmente, está presente en cuatro locales de EE.UU. y en dos del Viejo Continente. Y tiene representantes en Canadá, Colorado y Boston. También vende por medio de su página de Internet, que está escrita sólo en inglés.

Catálogos especializados

"El perfil de la empresa es exportador y la página está hecha para extranjeros -explicó-. Ahí también pueden encontrar información sobre los artesanos y los materiales de los productos." El mes próximo la compañía presentará su primer catálogo, que será exclusivamente de artículos de polo.

"Vamos a imprimir 20.000 en la Argentina y 40.000 para el exterior -señaló el emprendedor-. Ya tenemos la lista de contactos y esperamos muy buenos resultados."

Frontera Sur, que cerrará el año con ventas por US$ 150.000, presentará al menos dos catálogos más en los próximos meses. También tiene previsto llegar con su oferta a los hoteles cinco estrellas del país.

"Estamos dialogando con otra empresa para poder distribuir kits temáticos de artesanías en los hoteles. La idea es empezar con eso lo antes posible", explicó Maschwitz.

La empresa, que emplea seis personas en forma directa, ofrece más de 100 productos, como carteras de cuero, mesas, bancos, sillas, brazaletes de plata, billeteras, cinturones, botas, boleadoras, fuentes de alpaca, mates y estribos.

Mercedes García Bartelt
emprendedores@lanacion.com.ar

Inicio de operaciones: 2003.
Inversión: US$ 100.000.
Facturación 2005: US$ 150.000.
Empleados: 6.
Ventas: Estados Unidos y Europa.
Oferta: Más de 100 productos artesanales en plata, cuero, madera y alpaca, entre otros materiales.

Link: http://www.lanacion.com.ar/679534
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/economia/nota.asp?nota_id=679534
Copyright 2005 SA LA NACION | Todos los derechos reservados

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Catalog Request

Our catalogs are filled with our unique, genuine and native handicrafts. Each catalog will inspire your next gift purchase. Contact us at infor@fronterasur.com or click here to download our catalog.

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1) What is Frontera Sur?

Frontera Sur (FS) is a purveyor that will market, distribute and sell artisan, high-quality Argentine products to boutiques and stores in U.S. cities. The company is also developing an e-commerce website ( www.fronterasur.com) and a high-end catalog to distribute these products for the first time to consumers within the U.S.

2) What is Frontera Sur’s corporate vision?

The company’s ultimate vision is to make FS a lifestyle brand, widely recognized as a timeless provider of unique products. FS aims to introduce discerning consumers to the beauty of Argentina in the form of fashionable and functional products. Through growing the business and brand name, the company aims to help develop and promote the country of Argentina and its people.

3) What are the products that Frontera Sur will offer?

Sweaters, throws and blankets, pillowcases, r ugs, jewelry, furniture, footwear, table settings, bags, books, prints and decorative items. FS’s products are made from natural, indigenous materials such as Andean wools, silver, full and top-grain leathers.

4) What is Frontera Sur’s strategy for growth?

Currently, the company is in Phase 1 (Business-to-Business) whereby FS distributes its products to boutiques and stores through representatives that reside in the U.S.

Leading up to this model, the company expects to roll out its business in three phases: Business-to-Business, Internet, and Catalog. Ultimately, the principal component of the FS’s approach will be to directly market to consumers in the U.S. and other markets abroad via a catalog.

5) What is the company’s demographic target?

Based on FS’s positioning, branding and pricing strategy, the demographic characteristics of the company’s target customer includes household income of $75,000 or more, college educated and between the ages 35 to 60 years old.

In addition, FS believes that its core customer has discerning tastes with interest in unique, exotic or cultural products.

6) What is your competition?

Frontera Sur competes primarily with specialty retailers, other catalog companies and department stores. While competition in retail and direct marketing is fierce, FS believes that the principal bases upon which it competes are the uniqueness and cultural richness of its products to sophisticated customers in the U.S. is highly fragmented, and , to some degree, underdeveloped. It is this market niche that Frontera Sur aims to exploit.

7) Who are your suppliers?

Frontera Sur has 30 different suppliers. They are local Argentine craftsmen and companies. FS has suppliers from almost every province including Entre Rios, Catamarca and mainly Buenos Aires. A long-standing personal relationship with the suppliers is vital for FS.

8) How are the products made?

The products are not mass-manufactured. They are handmade employing traditional methods. Artisans use natural, noble materials such as Andean wools, silver, full and top-grain leathers. They combine a modern design with the typical techniques and materials used in Argentina for decades. The production is therefore limited and the attention to the details is essential.

9) What are the prices of the products?

Frontera Sur offers leather products that range from $23 to $4,000. Wool blankets and clothing are priced between $41 and $215. Silver Alpaca frames are $14, while silver Deluxe Tea Sets are $334. Woodcrafts range from $64 to $1,438.

10) Who sells the products to the boutiques and stores in the U.S?

Frontera Sur has sales representatives that serve as a channel between the boutiques and the company. The sales force currently consists of 10 representatives in 5 cities. The sales force is trained to achieve selling contracts. They have a promotion folder and reference materials which contain detailed product descriptions that explain the background of the products.