It has been reported this month that the price of cotton is due to rise in the wake of flooding in major cotton producing contries such as Pakistan. Many market analysts are predicting tough times ahead for the corporate clothing and leisurewear industries citing the planned increase in UK VAT to around 20% as another challenge for UK retailers in 2011.
UK fashion retailer Next, reported a 45% increase in cotton from this time last year and are bracing themselves for a five to ten percent increase by next spring!
So where does that leave the corporate clothing consumer? How do you make sure that you get the best bang for your buck? Well we recommend some simple options.
1. Buy now before the raise!
Corporate clothing styles tend to stay constant for many years unlike the constantly changing leisurewear designs; the cleaver consumer will buy now while the price is reasonable for the coming seasons.
2. think outside the cotton box
Think about what makes up your suit with today’s synthetic fabrics you may not even notice the difference in price. For the winter, blended wool in a suit not only will keep out the cold but will cost you less at the checkout.
Whatever you decide to do to beat the cotton crisis always shop around. As component prices sour, many consumers are reluctant to pay ever increasing prices for items they know were cheaper a month ago, this should force the market to be more welcoming to a customer willing to negotiate a fair price.
happy hunting
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