How a new sourcing strategy helped Liverpool Department Stores outperform the market. “We met our retail targets for 2017, thanks to the very responsible handling of inventory,” said Stephen C. Patton, Liverpool Asian Sourcing CM. “The focus was on keeping inventories turning and having a leaner business with better end margins.  Our business is very price driven, and the consumer has become very dependent upon promotions, so we need to be sure that our initial p...

In the apparel sector it’s all about natural fibers.  Seen as being better quality, more skin-friendly and part of the whole movement towards greener living, fabric and yarn is seeing a growing demand for natural-touch textiles, even when they are made from synthetic fibers. The demand for natural fibers has driven up both wool and cotton prices, which have been on an strong upward trend since last year. Cotton is now expected to reach 85 cents by July, up from the low 70 ce...

Ambitious Uniqlo is looking to beat out rivals H&M and Inditex as the biggest fast fashion retailer.  It’s a tough challenge.  Both H&M and Inditex are at the top of their game, and look set to remain strong through savvy market moves that keep them two steps ahead of their competitors. However Fast Retaling Co. Ltd., Uniqlo’s parent company, has one ace in the hole: a dominant share of the Asian market.  Not surprisingly, H&M and Inditex draw their st...

Three Gun shows that with the right formula a legacy brand can remain strong in China’s highly competitive intimate apparel market.Every day old brands die off are replaced by up and coming new brands. Nowhere is this truer than in China’s domestic market, where survival in this highly competitive market is not an easy task. And it’s almost a miracle to remain an industry leader for two decades.  This is exactly what underwear brand Three Gun has done - not only has it bee...

Higher materials prices and more demanding consumers are starting to move the market in a new direction. Materials prices have hit new highs, the major markets remain challenging and China’s domestic market is continuing to get even more competitive. Still, suppliers and buyers at Spinexpo Shanghai (March 13-15) were optimistic about the coming season.  Part of that is a result of the fair’s unique spirit, which combines innovation and inspiration on both the design an...

What we can learn from military leadership about surving market shifts.One of the most overused business expressions is, “Embrace the Change!”  This, of course, is the change that we as leaders want to occur.  Usually these changes are the ones as leaders that we want to happen for our own personal benefit or for reasons that we believe are “right in our own conception of the future.”  By telling others to “Embrace the (my) Change,” it serves ou...

After several sluggish years, bricks n’ mortar retail in the region’s major cities is starting to recover.  Just when retailers were convinced that physical retail stores were no longer important, they found that they are.  In 2017, a growing number of online brands moved offline.  And while most retailers continue to grow their online presence, there’s a growing trend to better integrate online and offline channels.  Overall, it’s been good news ...

China’s unique market environment has cultivated a group of highly successful (2 words – menswear and brands) menswear brands. By 2016, China’s womenswear market had reached US$131 billion (RMB 513.11 billion) annually, nearly twice the size of its menswear market.  The menswear market was smaller, but still large US$77 billion (RMB 513.1), according to statistics from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). However, the nation’s womenswear sector is a class...

Swivel makes the supply chain more transparent without the need for complicated systems.  Tighter inventory management is becoming the newest focus as buyers look for additional areas where they can squeeze hidden costs out of the system. More agile inventory management is one of them.This requires a much sharper view of where each order is in the supply chain and clever software from Swivel Software is making this much more accessible for both buyers and suppliers. Getting Granul...

Garden City has built its success on becoming an expert in shirt production.Like many successful companies in this region, Garden City Fashion Pvt Ltd. started out as a small family business.  Founded in 1988, has grown into one of the nation’s leading garment manufacturers. Now the company employs more than 2800 workers and produces around 500,000 shirts each month. Quality Focused ProductionQuality is what differentiates Garden City from other Indian suppliers. With more than t...