Richard M. Jones

Fashion supply chain organisation and management between the UK and China

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to analyse simplified traditional fashion clothing supply chain models between the UK and China to identify the key issues in quality and communication management.Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative research utilising key informant interviews was used. A total of nine full interviews were undertaken from three simplified supply chains. A content analysis approach was used to analyse the data based on recurring themes. The focus was on the management of quality and communication including design development, sample development and approval, fabric/trims order and approval, bulk production management and shipping/warehouse management.Findings – The research suggested that for fashion supply chain organisation and management between the UK and China attention should be focused on improvement of three common aspects capable of inhibiting performance: deficiencies in design specification, language barriers, and cultural/human barriers.

The economic determinants of clothing consumption in the UK 1987-2000

The fashion market in the UK is extremely unpredictable. However, there are reliable leading indicators which enable the absolute size of the market to be explained with a high degree of accuracy. The paper is a regression model which explains the value of consumer spending on clothing in the UK for the period 1987‐2000. The model uses changes in income and price to explain changes in spending on clothing. The model works in the sense that it explains over 90 per cent of the observed change in spending and the results are consistent with the expectations of economic theory. Estimates of both income and price elasticity of demand are derived from the model. The latter gives some support to the activities of the so‐called discounters while the former supports the argument that the demand for clothing is wants rather than needs driven.

Parade – exploiting the strengths of ‘Made in Britain’ supply chain

This paper examines the strengths and weaknesses of domestic versus offshore supply chains in the clothing industry. It uses Parade, a UK company formed in 1999 which specialises in customised designs and small‐scale orders, for a case study. The results and their implications for the UK clothing industry are discussed.

The women’s wear industry in the UK 1993‐2001: a statistical review

The paper charts the evolution of the UK women’s wear industry between 1993 and 2001 in terms of domestic production and trade. UK domestic production fell by 41 per cent in value terms and 52 per cent in volume terms while import penetration rose to 67 per cent in value terms or 96 per cent in volume terms.

The men’s wear sector in the UK 1993‐2001: a statistical review

This is the second in a series of papers describing the trends in domestic production and trade in the UK clothing industry in the period 1993‐2001. In this paper the men’s wear sector is considered.

The UK clothing sector 1993‐2001: Hats, workwear and other wearing apparel – and the final analysis

Examines statistical trends in production and trade in the UK clothing sector during the period 1993‐2001. Studies the areas of hats, workwear and other wearing apparel. Concludes that consumption of clothing increased during this period as did imports, therefore there was a parallel decline in output and employment

Report on the production, sales and trade of denim in Hong Kong

As a world leader in the textiles and clothing trade, Hong Kong has played an important role in world denim products trade. To obtain a sound understanding of the current status and position of Hong Kong in the world denim trade, the authors carried out a comprehensive statistical survey of the Hong Kong denim industry. This paper reports detailed analyses on the production, sales and trade of denim products in Hong Kong. The analysis on trade covers imports, domestic exports and re‐exports of denim fabric and apparel products.

Editorial: The UK Clothing Industry and the Eurozone

The EU is extremely important to the UK clothing industry in that (based on 1996 data) some 70 per cent of direct exports of clothing from the UK went to the EU. This compares with a figure of 57 per cent for all UK trade and 56 per cent for all UK‐manufactured exports (Tables 1 and 2). In relation to the 11 members of the Eurozone some 62 per cent for all UK clothing exports were destined (in 1996) for that region (Table 3). The Eurozone has a population of 290 millions with a total GDP of

The clothing market in Canada — 1995-96

6,000bn and a per capita GDP of

The UK clothing industry: Extinction or evolution?

20,000 based on 1997 figures published by Eurostat (Table 4). Therefore the issue of whether or not the UK joins the Eurozone by signing up to economic and monetary union could be of particular interest to the clothing sector over and above the general issues that membership of EMU would pose for all businesses. If the Euro is weak in relation to the pound while the UK is outside the Eurozone then UK exports to that zone will become more expensive and, other things being equal, UK sales into the zone will fall. On these grounds and from the very narrow perspective of selling garments by direct export from the UK being inside the Eurozone does, therefore, appear to be a desirable option in that it cannot make a lot economic sense to be outside your major market.