Chinese consumers curious about textiles, says Woolmark
13/03/2014
"Not very long ago the premium and luxury garments market here was all about prestigious labels," said Woolmark’s chief strategy and marketing officer, Rob Langtry. "But Chinese consumers are now showing a real interest in ingredient branding. That means not just the garment itself and the style of it, but the story behind it – how the fabric's made, where the fibre comes from, and what makes it special."
He said one of the key reasons that Chinese fashion shoppers are becoming more discerning was increased international travel. "A lot of more affluent Chinese people are spending a lot more time in overseas in cities like Hong Kong, London, Paris and New York. And increasingly they're looking for the same kind of quality and added value that shoppers in those places look for."
Towards the end of 2013, Youngor, one of the country's largest fashion retailers, ran a joint Australian Merino wool promotion with Woolmark and by January were reporting a 20% increase in all wool sales in participating stores.
"The Chinese fashion market is cluttered with medium to high-end apparel brands," said Youngor regional manager Li Chunbao. "We wanted to do something that was interesting and educational, something that would allow us to tell our customers about our quality credentials."
"This is a very exciting time for Australian Merino wool in China," said Mr Langtry.
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