JAPAN CAUGHT IN THE PORTUGUESE THREAD

European fabrics are reuniting again at Jitac European Textile Fair, from March 21st to 23rd and Portugal says once again “here”, with a growing number of companies and in a double participation, through the fabric forum From Portugal and with individual stands. This trade fair is new to Riopele, but the Nippon market is an “old” friend to the company that as clients from A(rmani) to Z(ara). «We already work with Japan, namely with importers/distributors. Therefore, this participation has as goal to increment the sales to consolidate our position in the market and to introduce new products, with new fibres such as cupro, and fluid fabrics, something that Japanese have great appetite», unveils the market manager António Soares.

To know profoundly the market is, actually, fundamental to who wants to succeed in there. «In the last edition I presented an overly diversified collection, but that helped me now to define and select better the articles for this edition. Japanese also seem not understand very well the philosophy of a fabric that suits several applications. Therefore, I’m betting on a more concentrated and specialized collection, namely with fabrics for beachwear and sportswear, since we are talking of the warm season», explains Manuela Araújo, Lemar’s administrator, already a repeater in this trade fair, as well as its compatriots Troficolor and Teviz, the first one specialized in denim and the second one in shirting fabrics. «We are solidifying the contacts of the last edition. But I believe that will be necessary three to four seasons for the market to trust in Troficolor», believes head marketing, Flávio Dias. «It’s a market that fits well in our kind of product, and so it has a great potential for the company», states, on its turn, Teviz’s sales manager, Paulo Loureiro.
Somelos Tecidos and Arco Têxteis have, by this time, proves of that. In fact, the Japanese market consumes already without moderation the shirting fabrics of these major Portuguese companies. «Japan is a very important market, for which we are selling products of great quality and where we have been growing for the last five years. But it obliges us to work on differentiated and high end products, since it is very demanding», refers Arco Têxteis’ administrator, Alfredo Rezende. 

Requirements which the collection for spring/summer 2013 of Somelos Tecidos also responds. «We have a rich collection, not only in content, but also in presentation. We bet a lot in image, in the way we get to the customer», says Tiago Guimarães. «Our business model is based upon the selling of our collections. To sell our collection means to be able to offer reduced minimums, which requires a large capillarity of geographic markets, clients and segments», adds the administrator of this company, whose portfolio counts with 1.650 clients in 64 countries. «We have a vast array of products to cover our large geographic diversity. Therefore, our offer is broad, with products that give a special touch to our client’s collection», concludes Tiago Guimarães. 

These six Portuguese fabric companies participate in Jitac European Textile Fair with the support of Associação Selectiva Moda, under the project From Portugal with the support of EU funds (QREN). This trade fair is one of the 68 international actions in 25 different markets, directed to areas as yarns, fabrics and accessories, fashion, home textiles and decoration and technical textiles, that the Portuguese association will hold in 2012, in a total investment of 8.85 million Euros.