COTTON USA Embrace Nature, Choose Cotton

NEWS

SUCCESS OF PIONEERING BUYERS’ TOUR IN BANGLADESH

For years the COTTON USA Supply Chain Marketing Programme has organised tours for select groups of buyers in countries such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Turkey, India and Pakistan, but the most recent tour in April broke new ground by visiting Bangladesh for the first time. Apparel executives were given unique opportunities to explore new markets and discover the advantages of sourcing U.S. cotton-rich fabrics and garments from key suppliers.

The four-day event kicked off with a briefing session designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the Bangladeshi market and the importance of U.S. cotton in textile and apparel production. COTTON USA was joined by Cotton Incorporated, the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association to give presentations. Buyers gained even further insight into the market when they heard from Li & Fung, the world’s largest sourcing company, about its experience regarding doing business in Bangladesh.

Advantages offered by the trade fair enabled buyers to optimise their time by having individual meetings in one location with 17 COTTON USA licensees, ranging from vertically integrated spinning mills to key users of U.S. cotton-rich yarns and fabrics. They also had the chance to visit six of the most significant suppliers, who produce lightweight and heavyweight jerseys, sweaters, interlock and pique, and see their production facilities.

As Stephanie Thiers-Ratcliffe, Cotton Council International Marketing Manager, explains:
“The aim of the COTTON USA Buyers’ Tours is to give buyers interested in purchasing products made with U.S. cotton the opportunity to make contact with mills which can meet their specific requirements on quality and quantity. This first tour to Bangladesh certainly achieved that aim and will no doubt benefit both buyers and suppliers and promote sales of products made with U.S. cotton.”

Feedback from the tour has been very positive. Buyers found it interesting, well organised and have indicated they are now more willing to source from Bangladesh and are expecting to do business over the next year with the companies they met there.  For more information about COTTON USA buyers’ tours, please email sthiers@cotton.org or visit www.cottonusa.co.uk.