Updated March 18, 2009 12:00 AM
CEBU, Philippines - Local garment brands can make it big abroad by penetrating Hong Kong and China as their launch pad for global exposure.
Hong Kong Trade Development Council assistance executive director Raymund Yip suggested that local garment brands, that have successfully etched its mark in the Philippine market, should now pursue global branding activities by developing commercial presence in Hong Kong.
Yip cited the success of one of the country’s local brands, Bench, which has greatly make it big in Hong Kong, not only patronized by Chinese consumers, but also shoppers from around the world.
In Cebu, there are several established garment brands that are well-known in the local marketplace such as Loalde, Penshoppe, Oxygen, For Me, Memo, Islands Souvenirs, Simon, Adina, among others.
In doing so, Yip said the Philippines will be able to recover its garment export figures as making presence in Hong Kong could mean exposing a brand to the biggest consumer base in the world—China.
Through its closer economic partnership, products from Hong Kong can be exported to China — duty free. Philippine-made products including garments to could advantage of this, if goods will be channeled through Hong Kong.
Besides, Hong Kong’s consumer base is not only dependent of its residents and the over a billion Chinese market in China, but also brands that will make presence in Hong Kong shall be exposed to millions of tourists going to the country annually. Last year for instance, Hong Kong recorded 39 million tourists visited to the country.
“Create more brand presence in Hong Kong,” Yip told members of the Cebu business sector during his recent visit to Cebu.
Other Filipino developed brands have been able to compete with international names such as Bayo, Maldita, Plains and Prints, among others.
On the other hand, while Filipinos are challenged to compete with the international brands in garments, the Philippines, especially Cebu has remained the manufacturing site of some big garment/apparel labels, banking on Filipinos’ strength in designing and garment-making skills.
In a separate interview with Cebu Garments Industries Association (CGIA) founding member Samson O. Tiu, he said that the garment industry in Cebu both catering for export and local markets is trying to revive its vibrancy, especially that it is seeing good potential to leverage in the upscale market category, so as not to compete with China in terms of manufacturing strength.
Cebu is still the manufacturing and designing site for international well-known brands in apparel, that the threat of China is overpowered by Cebu’s unique pool of good designers, and skilled workers in garment manufacturing, he said.
According to Tiu, a lot of sub-contractors of global brands are still operating at Mactan Export Zone (MEZ), contrary to the general impression that subcontracting jobs for this kind of operation has already been transferred to China.
Well-known labels such as Calvin Klein, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Nautica, Abercrombie, Columbia Sports Wear, among others, are still being made in Cebu.
But compared to the past years, the subcontracting works for garment manufacturing has declined, while others had decided to transfer their offshore site to China, and other countries.
In the past, some clothing lines of famous ladies brand Victoria’s Secret were made in Cebu. Tiu said Victoria’s Secret had pulled-out its Cebu outsourcing operation and transferred elsewhere. “Quality-workmanship is still our strength, and un-breakable niche, we have to capitalize on this,” Tiu added. — Ehda M. Dagooc
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