Textile sector to begin its recovery in second half – Reports

The significant downturn in consumption recorded in recent months, as a consequence of the global financial economic slowdown, has been felt greatly in the textile-clothing sector. Spain’s industrial fabric comprises over 4,000 small to medium-sized enterprises which, like those in other neighbouring countries, are facing this economic slowdown only having recently emerged from the extensive reconversion caused by the coming-into-force of the new regulations governing international trade.

Indeed, since 2002, the sector has been implementing an intense process of adaptation to the globalisation of the textile market, which peaked in 2005 with the liberalisation of international textile interchanges. The development which has taken place throughout this time has encouraged Spanish companies to vary what has been their strategy to date and, at the present time, they are firmly committed to setting themselves apart and to seeking new alternatives which are more suited to consumer demand.

According to Angel Asensio, the president of the Spanish Federation of Fashion Companies (Fedecon), “Although the sector is prepared to face a recession, companies need financial support after having invested heavily in their reconversion process in order to be competitive inside and outside our borders”.

All the entrepreneurs and experts in the sector who were consulted about how this situation will evolve in forthcoming months coincide in showing their optimism for the second half of 2019. They unanimously say that the reactivation of the market will begin from next September onwards. “Although domestic demand will continue in negative terms during the first half of the year, the drop in inflation and in interest rates will bring with it an increase in families’ income, which will serve to stabilise the drop in consumption”, they say.

As in previous recessions, the first symptoms of recovery will be noticed when macroeconomic indexes, which have been constant in recent months, stop falling and, according to the experts “we reach rock bottom”.

In order for the sector to recover, new ideas and initiatives started up by entrepreneurs will be more important than ever. Seventy per cent of the success of a company lies in its trademark and thirty per cent in innovation, which is why now, more than ever, entrepreneurs must make a solid commitment to these two factors. On the other hand, in this situation it is pivotal to closely monitor the development of customers’ tastes in order to be able to meet their demand in a satisfactory manner. For example, in this recession, consumers have shown that they are more loyal to trademarks than ever", they say from within the sector. “If we commit to innovation, creativity and trademark image and we expand overseas, grouped together under the country trademark, the Spanish textile sector will continue to grow as it has been doing for the last thirteen years”, they stress.

To sum up, the commitment focuses on quality products which incorporate more innovation in product and design. In addition, it is pivotal to properly convey this commitment to the consumer via brand name reinforcement and product differentiation policies coupled with important, ongoing improvements in productive efficiency, without losing sight of price. Angel Asensio insists that “Spanish industry must make a firm commitment to intangible elements – trademark, image, marketing-, and reinforce the trademark image of our companies”. 
 
An analysis of development trends in the sector in 2019, undertaken by the Textile and Clothing Industry Information Centre (CITYC), highlights that it has been marked by the international economic-financial recession. The value of demand in the Spanish textile/clothing market has dropped by 5.8 %, the upshot of the enormous contraction in family consumption and in the purchase of homes. Progress in the market has determined falls in production (- 10 % in real terms) and in employment (- 7.2 %), which stand at levels similar to the previous crisis in 2005.

In spite of these figures and in view of how the textile industry has recovered and overcome other economic recessions, the sector is confident that, in the second half of 2019, demand will be reactivated and that the next 2019 autumn-winter campaign, whose collections are being shown now, will be upbeat.

The swift, intensive recovery of the textile trade - Hilario Alfaro, president of the National Textile Trade Federation (FECOTEX) is convinced that “the recovery of the textile sector is going to be swift and intensive, although we will still experience a rather complicated spring-summer season". Alfaro says that “in spite of the fact that the sector is feeling the effects of the crisis and turnover in the textile trade fell by approximately 11% in 2019, the Christmas season and the sales have eased results somewhat”.

The position of Borja Oria, the president of the Textile and Accessory Trade Business Association, ACOTEX, is similar. He acknowledges that in 2019 stores have had to make a special effort to drive demand. “In this way, outlets have started up discounts, promotions and special events to try and maintain sales”. Oria adds that “the sector hopes that the reactivation of demand will begin in the second half of 2019 and that the next 2019 autumn-winter campaign will be upbeat”.

Borja Oria says that more than ever the sector needs to lean on its two strong pillars: Spanish creativity and the entrepreneurial spirit that exists in our country. "We have an excellent base and thanks to SIMM and Cibeles Madrid Fashion Week Spanish fashion and design are increasingly present in the international marketplace. As regards fashion boutiques, Spain is at the forefront of the global fashion distribution business, with chains such as Inditex –Zara and Massimo Dutti, among others - and Mango; an example to be followed and an incentive for all fashion stores, which work to surprise us every season, gathering together garments in which quality and design prevail and which also offer a rapid response and ongoing renovation, with a clear and indispensable focus on customer needs and requests.
 

                                             報道：紡織行業下半年開始復蘇

      近幾個月，由于經濟放緩，消費指數顯著下降，這已經深深影響到紡織服裝行業。西班牙的紡織業由4000多家中小型企業組成，就像他們的鄰國一樣，他們也面臨著經濟衰退的影響，由于近在國際貿易中才生效的新條例，經濟開始有所復蘇。

      事實上，自2002年以來，該部門一直積極適應紡織品市場，并且在2005年達到國際紡織品市場的頂峰。這段時間的發展堅定了西班牙紡織企業在不同的時期制定不同的措施。目前，他們致力于完善自己，并且尋求新的替代，更好的滿足消費者的需求。

      根據西班牙足協時裝公司（ Fedecon ）主席Angel Asensio說，”雖然現在紡織行業試圖迎面經濟衰退，公司需要財政支持，在目前經濟復蘇時期，投入巨資以提高我們的競爭力。

      所有的紡織行業的專家和企業家如何將目前的情況與未來幾個月的發展相吻合進行了磋商。他們一致認為，紡織行業將從明年9月開始復蘇。“雖然現在國內需求在09年季度依舊低位運行，但是通貨膨脹率和銀行利率下降將增加家庭收入，這將有助于平穩降低消費價格。”

      如同以往的衰退一樣，衡量經濟恢復的指標是宏觀經濟指標。他在近幾個月保持穩定，已經停止下跌。根據專家的言論“我們已經到達谷底”

      為了促使紡織部門的復蘇，企業家比以前更注重新思想，新措施的發布。一個公司的成功有70%靠商標，30%靠創新。這就是為什么企業家現在比以往任何時候都注重這兩個方面。另一方面，在這種情況下要密切關注客戶口味的變化，以便能夠更加滿足客戶的需求。例如 ，在目前這個經濟衰退的情況下，消費者已經表明，他們比以往任何時候都忠于品牌。“如果我們致力于創新，創造，品牌形象的設計，我們擴大海外市場，和其他國家品牌一起組合發展，西班牙紡織業將繼續增長，就像他在13年前做的一樣。”

      總之，承諾的重點是融入更多創新產品和設計的高質量的產品。此外，它的關鍵是向消費者正確傳達這一承諾，通過強化產品品牌和差別化政策，加上持續有效的生產效率，但同時又不以提高價格為代價。Angel Asensio堅稱，“西班牙工業必須作出肯定的承諾，比如無形要素：商標，形象，市場營銷，加強我們公司商標的形象 。”
 

      由紡織及制衣業資訊中心（ CITYC ）制定的2019年紡織行業的分析發展趨勢突出國際經濟衰退對紡織行業的影響。西班牙紡織/服裝市場的需求已下跌了5.8 ％ ，其結果是造成家庭消費和購買住房的大幅度回縮。市場上產品需求下降 10 ％和就業率降低7.2 ％，這是相比2005年前的一次危機而言。

      盡管這些數據，并考慮如何使紡織工業恢復活力，并克服其他經濟衰退，該部門有信心在2019年下半年重新啟動需求，并在09年秋冬時期，市場將會很樂觀。

      迅速，密集的恢復紡織品貿易-印度國家紡織貿易聯合會（ FECOTEX ）主席伊拉里奧阿爾法羅相信， “紡織部門的復蘇將是迅速而密集的，但在春夏季節，我們仍然會面臨一個相當復雜的環境。”阿爾法羅說， “盡管該部門遭遇經濟危機，2019年紡織貿易量下降了月11%，在這樣的情況下，計劃到圣誕節，銷售業績會有所緩解。 “

      紡織及其配件貿易商業協會（ACOTEX）主席博爾哈奧里亞的立場是相似的。他承認2019年商店不得不為拉動需求做特別的努力。“因此，店鋪與半了折扣，促銷和一些特別活動，以期保持銷售。”奧里亞補充說，“該部門希望在2019年下半年，需求將得到恢復，下一屆的銷量將是樂觀的。”

      博爾哈奧里亞說，該部門比以往任何時候更需要加強兩個強大支柱：西班牙文創造力和企業家精神存在于我們國家。 “我們有一個很好的基礎，同時感謝SIMM和Cibeles在西班牙馬德里的時裝周表演，并且在國際市場上設計越來越多。至于時裝精品店，西班牙是站在時裝分銷業務的基礎上，與Inditex –Zara，Massimo Dutti，以及 Mango等連鎖店協作;這說明我們應遵循和鼓勵所有時尚商店，它在每個季節都匯集了高端的服裝，這使我們感到驚訝，他們也提供了快速反應和持續翻新，對客戶的需求方面有明確的，不可缺少的重點。