Focusing on the three directions of epidemic concerns, health care, and sustainability, Mr. Zhang Ligang, senior account manager of Cotton Incorporated, made an in-depth analysis of the development trend of the global clothing retail market in spring and summer 2021, textile and apparel products under the new consumption trend in the post-epidemic era. New hot spots and trends in development.
What changes in consumption have been brought about by the epidemic?
“The trend of retail shifting to online is still very real, and most of it will persist. In the United States, it was predicted in 2019 that the penetration rate of e-commerce will reach 24% in 2024, but by 2020 In July, the share of online sales reached 33%.” Zhang Ligang said that under the epidemic, consumers are still full of hope for 2021 despite their worries. At the beginning of this year, U.S. clothing spending rebounded rapidly and showed a new growth trend. He said that global clothing spending growth is expected to be promising, and the impact of the epidemic on people’s lifestyles will continue, and the general trend of online sales will therefore be accelerated and continued.
The report shows that in the United States, where the epidemic situation is relatively severe, 59% of respondents were still very worried about the development of the epidemic by the end of last year, and more than half Respondents predict that the epidemic will gradually end from October this year to October 2022, and life will return to normal. Consumers who have been working and living at home for a long time are eagerly looking forward to activities such as visiting friends, vacations, and dining out. 66% of consumers plan to buy new clothes to meet their social needs, which is good news for the apparel industry. Last year, China’s clothing sales increased by about 8% year-on-year to US$298 billion, surpassing the United States to become the world’s largest clothing retail country. At the same time, it is expected to grow by another 47% in the next five years.
In addition, the epidemic has led to fundamental changes in consumer shopping patterns, and online sales have grown rapidly, 31% of which came from consumers who shopped online for the first time. Even if the epidemic is completely over, the online and offline shopping model will be fixed and become the new normal. 17% of consumers will purchase all or most items online, and the number of people who only shop in physical stores will also increase from the previous 71%. dropped to 51%. Of course, for clothing buyers, physical stores still have the advantages of being able to try on clothes and making consultation easier.
Will sportswear and functional clothing become new hot spots in the market?
Zhang Ligang analyzed that because the epidemic has caused consumers to pay more attention to health, the sportswear market will usher in great development. Last year, China’s sportswear sales were US$19.4 billion, and are expected to grow by another 92% in five years; while US sportswear sales have reached US$70 billion, and are forecast to grow at an annual growth rate of 9% in the next five years.
Under the epidemic, people are paying more and more attention to both physical and mental health. 54% and 52% of the respondents respectively improve their health and maintain physical health through exercise and outdoor activities. Not only have 39% of consumers recently purchased sportswear, but about half of them wear sportswear and participate in sports activities.
“Sports clothing sales mainly include sportswear, outdoor clothing and clothing with sports elements. Only half of the consumers who only wear sportswear when exercising, 38% People mix and match sportswear and non-sportswear. As far as the U.S. market is concerned, clothing with sports elements accounts for about 38%. Therefore, clothing with sports elements is also included in sportswear.” Zhang Ligang explained.
From the perspective of consumer expectations, people want to buy functional clothing and comfortable clothing with functions such as moisture wicking, temperature control, odor removal, wear resistance, and water repellency. Clothing is more attractive to consumers. In response to these needs, Cotton Incorporated, the world’s top cotton fiber promotion organization, has launched cotton technologies such as moisture-absorbing and quick-drying series WICKINGWINDOWS™ and TransDRY™, as well as waterproof and breathable series STORMCOTTON™ technology, so that clothing made of pure cotton retains the breathability of cotton. And comfort, it also has the functions of moisture absorption, quick drying, waterproof and oil proof, and no static adsorption.
The report shows that 42% of respondents believe that wearing comfortable clothing can improve their mental health and make them feel happy, calm, relaxed and even safe. Compared with man-made fibers, 84% of respondents believe cotton clothing is the most comfortable. Sales of comfortable clothing are also surging as a result.
How to evaluate the sustainability of clothing?
Zhang Ligang mentioned that consumers have high expectations for the sustainability of clothing. They hope that producers can produce clothing in a more environmentally friendly way and reduce environmental pollution. And 89% of respondents hope that clothing can be more durable.
Currently, circular fashion, plastic particle pollution, recycling and sustainability qualifications have become textile The sustainability goals of the industry. However, most respondents do not understand what circular fashion is and the meaning of industry sustainability certification/certificates. The popular science film launched by Cotton Incorporated details the recycling advantages of cotton products. From clothing to home textiles From non-woven products to non-woven products, all cotton textiles can be recycled and used to make new products. When cotton products cannot be reused or recycled, they can be degraded in industrial compost and water environments, degrading faster than man-made cellulose fibers and chemical fibers. , and ultimately improve soil health and nourish natural resources.
The survey results show that 35% of the respondents are aware of Plastic particle pollution, and 68% of them claim that this will affect their clothing purchasing decisions. This requires the textile industry to start from raw materials, reduce the use of difficult-to-degrade chemical fibers, use more natural fibers, and guide it through the popularization of sustainable concepts Consumer purchasing decisions.
For consumers, nearly half believe that sustainable clothing means they can wear it longer, and they usually value the durability of clothing with resistance to washing and fiber content. Make a judgment. 65% of the respondents believe that cotton clothing is more durable, which is much higher than the 20% and 15% of polyester and rayon. By observing the wardrobes of American consumers, we can also feel their appreciation of cotton. love for quality clothing, with cotton clothing accounting for the highest proportion of 61%, followed by polyester and rayon, and 44% of respondents said that the old clothes they still wear are made of cotton.
Based on consumer demand for cotton quality and durability, Cotton Incorporated has further launched TOUGHCOTTON™ technology to enhance the wear resistance and fabric strength of cotton fabrics. This technology has passed market testing. It has been well used in many international big-name children’s clothing, casual sportswear and outdoor sportswear. </p
