Photos courtesy of Clothing-Connect.com I did! I had the pleasure of meeting a group of very dynamic Guatemalans on their first study trip to London arranged by Clothing Connect a consulting firm for fashion trade and development' for the Dutch Government centre for the promotion of imports from developing countries (www.CBI.eu) as part of a 2 year programme.
Full of curiosity, I went along to figure out an answer to the most natural question, Why Guatemala?
Though generally fascinated by emerging free trade agreements, I had to admit that I had completely overlooked the fact that Guatemala is already duty free into the EU. Similarly, I didn’t know till today, that Guatemala can claim to be the most competitive source in Central America, enjoying greater efficiencies and more competitive labour rates than its neighbours.
Ok, so that’s the first reason to be considering Guatemala as a source. But I discovered it is not the only one.
In the beautiful surroundings of RSA House, I learnt from how well established their clothing industry is. Guatemala has enjoyed a long history selling to the USA, including global names like Ralph Lauren and Under Armour.
It was interesting to see garment samples based on recycled denim worked up into a desirable range of clothing and homewares, and a collection featuring traditional Mayan vintage woven fabrics incorporated into contemporary designs. I was struck by the breadth of product.
Amongst this small handful of producers, I saw:
I heard about the flexibility which seems to be on offer from Guatemala, which is served by a port on the Atlantic and one on the Pacific.
A theme running through all the producers was an interest in their employees’ welfare. We heard about the various ways in which they are creating a positive impact on their communities. You may wish to take a look at Garments Guatemala Export Coaching Programme on Facebook
So I admit I'm a woman who likes 'new'. I'm an ideas and change person so the thought of another source route instantly gets me interested. It's the same feeling I had when exploring Myanmar. However, that seems to be where the similarity ends. Guatemala seems to be a value added country where textiles are long established as the leading industry closely followed by coffee and natural produce. I heard about organisations who are vertical and those who provide in house design and development services to translate customer design concepts into styles manufacturable in bulk supported by full tech packs.
Even if you are my opposite and are perspiring at the very thought of a new source, it could be a real missed opportunity for you not to evaluate Guatemala. Of course it is not just appropriate, but essential to be cautious and to carry out a careful assessment informed by thorough due diligence to ensure that the rewards outweigh the risks. Surely, it’s right is for you to find out whether or not Guatemala suits your brand.
by Mirvette Russo
Full of curiosity, I went along to figure out an answer to the most natural question, Why Guatemala?
Though generally fascinated by emerging free trade agreements, I had to admit that I had completely overlooked the fact that Guatemala is already duty free into the EU. Similarly, I didn’t know till today, that Guatemala can claim to be the most competitive source in Central America, enjoying greater efficiencies and more competitive labour rates than its neighbours.
Ok, so that’s the first reason to be considering Guatemala as a source. But I discovered it is not the only one.
In the beautiful surroundings of RSA House, I learnt from how well established their clothing industry is. Guatemala has enjoyed a long history selling to the USA, including global names like Ralph Lauren and Under Armour.
It was interesting to see garment samples based on recycled denim worked up into a desirable range of clothing and homewares, and a collection featuring traditional Mayan vintage woven fabrics incorporated into contemporary designs. I was struck by the breadth of product.
Amongst this small handful of producers, I saw:
- seamless shapewear, sportswear & support hosiery,
- swimwear and yogawear,
- socks,
- kidswear & babywear,
- casual knits/ polos & t-shirts
- football shirts
- dancewear
I heard about the flexibility which seems to be on offer from Guatemala, which is served by a port on the Atlantic and one on the Pacific.
A theme running through all the producers was an interest in their employees’ welfare. We heard about the various ways in which they are creating a positive impact on their communities. You may wish to take a look at Garments Guatemala Export Coaching Programme on Facebook
So I admit I'm a woman who likes 'new'. I'm an ideas and change person so the thought of another source route instantly gets me interested. It's the same feeling I had when exploring Myanmar. However, that seems to be where the similarity ends. Guatemala seems to be a value added country where textiles are long established as the leading industry closely followed by coffee and natural produce. I heard about organisations who are vertical and those who provide in house design and development services to translate customer design concepts into styles manufacturable in bulk supported by full tech packs.
Even if you are my opposite and are perspiring at the very thought of a new source, it could be a real missed opportunity for you not to evaluate Guatemala. Of course it is not just appropriate, but essential to be cautious and to carry out a careful assessment informed by thorough due diligence to ensure that the rewards outweigh the risks. Surely, it’s right is for you to find out whether or not Guatemala suits your brand.
by Mirvette Russo
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