Trade tensions are growing between the US and the European Union - after President Trump imposed tariffs on European steel and aluminium. The EU has responded by introducing its own taxes on iconic American products, including orange juice, Bourbon and jeans. US producers are worried they'll lose sales if European consumers have to pay higher prices - so will shoppers turn to local alternatives instead? Elena Casas has been finding out if anyone stands to gain from the trade tensions.

This is the original denim - fabric de Nimes woven in the French city of Nimes, originally from wool to dress the shepherds in the nearby Cevennes hills.

GUILLAUME SEGUIN CO-FOUNDER, ATELIERS DE NIMES "The story is, in the seventeenth century, during the wars of religion in France, lots of Protestants fled France, and some of them went to the United States, and they took their savior-faire with them, and that's how they started to make a name for this fabric called denim."

This material from the south of France became an American icon - when Levi Strauss made his first pair of blue jeans, he used fabric from French craftsmen.

ELENA CASAS NIMES "In the mid twentieth century, textile workshops were as much a symbol of the city of Nimes as its Roman arena. But the industry closed here decades ago, and denim hasn't been woven in the city for more than a century."

Guillaume and his partners want to bring the craft back to where it began - they've been making jeans here for three years, and now they've crowdfunded money to import four antique looms from Italy.

From the autumn, they'll be selling denim de Nimes - fabric woven right here.

GUILLAUME SEGUIN CO-FOUNDER, ATELIERS DE NIMES "The idea is to bring back that that lost savoir faire, we'd like denim from Nimes to have a provenance label, like wine or cheese."

American jeans will now be subject to a tariff in Europe - part of 2.8 billion dollars worth of US exports being hit in response to President Trump taxing European steel.

SYLVIE MARTELLY ECONOMIST, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS INSTITUTE "This is all very symbolic, of course, but Europe is trying to pass a message - that open trade is the only way to ensure durable growth, so it can't let the American president apply protectionist measures without reacting, because that would be an open door for every country to do it."

Higher taxes on American products will make the local alternative more competitive.

GUILLAUME SEGUIN CO-FOUNDER, ATELIERS DE NIMES "Levi's start at 80 or 90 euros for a pair now, we'll start at 120 once we are weaving jeans here in the autumn, so really we're well placed in price terms, given the quality of the finish."

Guillaume believes shoppers are moving away from globalised production to spend their money on the local and artisanal - and Donald Trump may have inadvertently given businesses like his a boost. Elena Casas, CGTN, Nimes, France.