Clothing production in Asia or Europe - which one is the better choice?

Clothing manufacturing and distribution is now a global business, bringing together entities from all corners of the world. Due to attractive prices, many companies’ production lines are currently located in China. However, factories in Europe also have their supporters.

What to opt for and which solution to choose? Can fashion chains remain competitive if they stay entirely on the Old Continent?

Intercontinental supply chains – do they pay off?

The global fashion market is slowly getting back on its feet after a long period of pandemic lockdown. However, various disruptions and obstacles are still looming over international fashion supply chains, especially for those ordering goods from Asia.

It is worth mentioning that, according to the data collected by McKinsey Global Fashion, the largest percentage of the market last year belonged to China. A huge number of fashion companies from all over the world cooperate with the country. However, it is expected that American entities will start to play an equally important role in the coming year.

What is the reasoning behind such solution? The most important advantage is still low production costs, which convince entities wishing to compete with industry rivals. At the same time, however, they have to consider a number of limitations.

Long delivery times

What can happen? Although the merchandise price is really attractive, if you decide to import clothing from Asia, you have to expect very long delivery times as well as possible hold-ups and delays, since the route is very long.

Maritime transport means waiting weeks for products, but air shipments significantly increase overall costs, which is not always cost-effective for larger shipments.

Another solution is to use the New Silk Road, which creates a high-speed rail connection between the Far and Middle East and Europe. However, rail transport from China to the Old Continent has been constricted in recent weeks due to the armed conflict in Ukraine and a series of sanctions imposed on Russia by western countries.

Hidden delivery costs – production is not everything

Many fashion manufacturers believe that clothing production in Asian sewing plants and factories generates much lower costs.

However, you should still consider the fact that products imported from outside the European Union are subject to customs clearance. Importing them may involve additional fees at the border and longer delivery times. In some cases, a slightly higher charge in Europe may be more attractive than the Asian price. Moreover, while importing goods from Asia, you have to expect additional costs related to the problems of advertising products to local suppliers. Choosing a European manufacturer comes with a guarantee of high-quality products and the possibility of easy and fast customer complaints.

Clothing production in Europe – loyal solutions and their advantages

More and more companies are opting to work with local, i.e. European, entities, such as Strus Wear.

Such solutions can provide a number of advantages. You should consider them before deciding on the location of entities you wish to cooperate with.

Short delivery time and low shipping costs

There is no denying that working with a Polish company guarantees much faster deliveries, which reduce the risk of downtime and stock shortages.

Delivery costs are significantly lower because the shipping distance is much shorter. In many cases, you receive the products within one or two days after the order is processed. This is a huge advantage over the Asian model. At Strus Wear, we use dedicated transport. Products are well secured and we know where they are at all times.

More flexible cooperation

Cooperation with European companies increases efficiency. The contact is easier and the offer is much more flexible. In many cases, orders can even be tailored to meet the current needs of the business.

At Strus Wear, you can commission as few as 200 units of a particular model. This way, you don’t have to freeze enormous amounts of money when you introduce test products to test the market reaction. It is also a way to respond to rapidly changing fashion trends more effectively.

It is also worth mentioning that family-owned, local companies often guarantee a more individual approach to the customer and access to experienced professionals. This makes it possible to optimize operations and improve the efficiency of the entire system. A customer cooperating with a large manufacturer is often not treated as a priority, but rather as another cog in the success machine. That is why you should consider all the possibilities before cooperating with a supplier.

Strus Wear – tailored solutions

Strus Wear deals with professional logistics and production for the clothing industry. It manufactures knitted fabrics and clothing items for the fashion sector, following ready-made patterns or customer’s demands. Such comprehensive approach to the process and supply chain significantly improves operations and, in many cases, optimizes costs.

What does this mean for you? Products tailored perfectly to your market and customers’ needs, which often become a significant market advantage over your competitors.

Contact us if you’re looking for specialists who can help you improve the performance of your fashion business on site, transparently and effectively.