Consumers may view the fashion industry as simply the clothes they buy in store, but the broader business also encompasses footwear and accessories, the textiles required to make them, the shipping process, marketing, and potentially international distribution.
While menswear is, unusually, growing faster than women's, an industry-wide trend is seeing consumers shifting away from mid-market products. This polarization means that luxury and discount brands alike are experiencing growth.
Now worth more than US$3trn, fashion worldwide accounts for 2% of the global GDP and provides jobs for 60 million workers. However, the distribution of those jobs may be changing as the market’s s global center of gravity shifts eastward.
Here are the latest fashion trends to help you keep pace with consumer demand and expand your business after Covid-19. Let DHL Express, an expert in international express business help you make cross-border shipments a piece of cake!
Change towards China
2018 marked the first time that over half of apparel and footwear sales originated outside of Europe and North America, instead coming from emerging markets across Asia-Pacific and Latin America.
China also continues to be the largest exporter of apparel in the world, dominating the global trade market in 2017. They're not just making the products though – they're buying them too, owing to GDP growth and a strengthening economy. This means the Asia-Pacific region now accounts for 38% of fashion sales, leaving Europe in second place with 27%.
Speed is key
Driven by digital catwalks, online flash sales and click-to-purchase options on social media, fast-fashion sales have grown 20% over the last three years. With brands accelerating the timescale from design to shelf, the need to expedite shipping has also grown, with Gucci offering home delivery in 90 minutes or less for certain cities.
Burberry even defied the typical six-month lag between catwalk and store arrival in 2016, making items available immediately after the models had walked in them. With such flexibility, fast fashion supply chain has become a lucrative business model.
Artificial Intelligence in fashion
In a bid to meet consumer demand, some retailers are now making use of new technologies to manage their stock flow, automate tasks and free up resources for further investments. In this way they can help in tackling pre-existing issues of overstock, which constituted $472bn in lost retail revenue in 2015.
- Solving overstock issues with AI supply chain – While operating online opens a business up to an international customer base, return rates also average over 20% more than offline shopping. German e-commerce company Otto therefore relies upon artificial intelligence tools to provide 90% accuracy forecasts on what will sell in the next 30 days. This has also allowed them to cut overstock by 20%.
- Predicting popular products – AI technologies can also analyze which items were most requested by the press and stylists, helping brands gauge those that will prove popular. By predicting an items’ demand before it even hits the shelves, this can regulate manufacturing processes and reduce potential losses caused by overproduction.
- Fashion against pollution – AI technologies reduce forecasting errors by up to 50%, making them extremely beneficial for improving sustainability. However, some companies are combating post-sale waste too.
Recycling rewards
With 66% of global millennials willing to spend more on sustainable brands, clothing waste reduction practices are not only good for the planet but for business too.
As 42% of fashion brands shared their supplier information last year in a bid to improve consumer transparency and promote sustainable practices, companies failing to step up will soon fall out of fashion favor – particularly in the UK, whose shoppers are the most likely to consider a brand's ethics before buying.
Dependable delivery
Half of online shoppers cite ease and cost of delivery as the main factor influencing their web-based purchase decisions, while over a third consider the ease and cost of returns too. With so many market changes and new technologies being introduced, all promising to revolutionize the manufacturing process, it's important to have a shipping partner you can depend upon.
A delay in delivery to stores by even a week can drastically affect profit margins, with a product's average life cycle being limited to eight weeks. Make sure your chosen service can ship to and from all the countries you trade with, and that your logistics plan is ready to respond to the changes that will inevitably come.
Do you know what your customers want?
DHL’s newest consumer survey provides an overview of current trends and consumer expectations. About 6,000 people from the UK, the United States, Italy, Australia and Japan took part, answering questions about their buying habits and the reasons behind their purchases.
As a long-time logistics partner for designers, events and brands, DHL Express commissioned the survey to underscore the importance of a smoothly operating global network, precision, dependability and speed in the fashion industry.
Among other things, the survey shows that consumers in the UK value ethical production especially highly, while women in Japan give priority to the quality of products. 15% of survey participants read the label to see where a piece of clothing was produced; in Italy the figure is as high as 41%.
In addition, buyers want to know whether and how the product shipment chain might affect the environment. And one-quarter of the respondents say that production under fair working conditions is important to them.
Upcycled DHL uniforms wow fashion fans in Ukraine
Instead of throwing away old work-wear, DHL has teamed up with a Ukrainian fashion designer to create a catwalk collection that impressed audiences at this year’s Ukraine Fashion Week in February 2021.
What happens to old DHL uniforms when they reach their end-of-life? Unfortunately, around 85% of our corporate clothing ends up in landfill. DHL Express in Ukraine found a way to give new life to our distinctive workwear by teaming up with young designer Yuliya Postushna.
“When deciding to recycle used uniforms responsibly and safely, you are taking steps to protect your brand, protect your employees and, in the long term, protect the environment,” says Postushna.
Packing guide for fashion apparel
The packaging requirement for clothing can vary significantly depending upon the type of item being shipped.
Whilst a regular t-shirt may not require much protection, a couture dress will need to be specially packed and handle
Flyer strengths
We recommends the use of our specially designed DHL Flyer Bag for low value clothing items. If you wish to use your own plastic flyer bag, it is essential that it is capable of protecting your goods during transit.
The two most important considerations when selecting a flyer are tensile and seam strengths. The DHL Flyer Bag will stretch 350mm before complete failure. The DHL Flyer Bag seam and the glue that holds it is even stronger than the bag itself to avoid accidental opening.
Non-Fragile Clothing
Non-fragile clothing items can be shipped in a sealed plastic flyer bag or single wall cardboard box. Each piece of clothing should be separated from one another inside the box or flyer bag to avoid damage whilst in transit.
It is highly recommended to use the right size box for clothing items as void space may collapse during transportation.
- Wrap items individually with small cell bubble wrap or kraft paper before placing into outer box or DHL Flyer Bag.
- If using a DHL Flyer Bag, fold and tape down any excess.
- Apply transport label so it is clearly visible.
Fragile Clothing
Fragile clothing items should be individually packed within a dual-wall box, unless shipped in a specialist box of your own choosing.
Shoes
Shoe boxes are not strong enough to adequately protect shoes in an Express network so they must be overpacked prior to dispatch. There are two options to consider depending upon the weight and order value.
1. Low value single piece under 3 kg
- Insert closed shoe box into a large DHL Flyer Bag.
- Seal Flyer Bag and fold over any excess material.
- Tape down excess and apply transport label so it is clearly visible.
2. High value or multiple piece over 3 kg
- Follow our basic packing instructions and place shipping items into an outer box.
- Fill any void space and secure flaps with H-taping method.
- Apply transport label so it is clearly visible
For more information of about international shipping for fashion apparels, contact our international specialists through Live Chat or call +662 345 5000 (24 hours).
