Philippines handicraft exporters eye new markets

08 Jan '13

2 min read

To achieve the 10 percent export growth target set for the current year, Philippine handicraft industry is eagerly eyeing expansion to some of the emerging markets like Peru, Brazil, Uruguay and some African countries, where they can meet good demand, Philippine Chamber of Handicraft Industries (PCHI) President Dennis Orlina said, GMA News reported.

According to Mr. Orlina, there is also good scope for expansion in Russia. Italy and Germany, which have largely escaped the effects of the Eurozone crisis, can also be explored, while Japan and the US continue to be the biggest export destinations for Philippine handicrafts, he added.

While highlighting the increased use of recycling by the Philippine industry to satisfy the growing preference of buyers for goods made from re-used materials, the PCHI chief suggested that the industry should use more indigenous materials like abaca.

He further noted that the pressure for recycling and creativity is intensifying, and for this reason they are now trying to find new materials and new versions of old materials.

The industry would also embark on a benchmarking study to ascertain as to which products are more marketable, the budget that buyers allocate for their purchases and to analyse how the producers and exporters should price their products to retain their competitive edge, he added.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

More Textiles News - Philippines...