In this weeks news, ITV reported that the Office of National Statistics (ONS) will no longer use the sale of suits to help calculate the price of inflation. How will this affect the uniform industry?
The change to more casual business attire has been happening in UK banks and businesses for the last 10 years. The Covid pandemic seems to have escalated the change in behaviour.
Consumer habits are monitored by the ONS. The virtual basket contains more than 700 items that represent our consumer habits. These now include the purchase of dog collars, most likely contributed to the increase in dog owners over lockdown and the suit has now fallen out of favour.
The Covid pandemic has had a huge influence on what we buy and what we wear. Mostly it about comfort but there are many other factors that are influencing this change. So, what trends should we be looking to develop garments for the corporatewear and workwear markets?
Looking to the future you should consider mix and match smart casual wardrobes that offer choice, comfort and are non-hierarchal. Choose fabrics that have longevity where budgets allow and look at the whole lifecycle of the products and how your business can add to a circular economy.
Pen to Peg is getting lots more interest from customers for more sustainable solutions for fabrics. Customers are looking at waste and trying to minimise stock write-offs and buying better quality. Being sustainable is not just about making garments from recycled bottles, its about great design, choosing fabric well, advising on best ways to wash and repair and keeping control of SKU’s and managing unpopular stock lines.
If you would like to know how we can help your business get in touch for an informal chat.
