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Sales of organic clothing & textiles to reach £280 mn by 2012
07 Apr '09
5 min read
New Look sold 2.3 million organic cotton items in 2008 – a 50% increase on 2007. Organic cotton now accounts for 4.2% of its womenswear, compared to 3% in 2007. Its range includes organic cotton jersey items, a woven top and dress, and knitwear. It expects at least to maintain sales, and possibly increase them, in 2009.
Independent retail
Some independent retailers have seen a dip in sales of organic clothing as a result of the downturn, but this tends to be seen as a blip in an upward trend. Cornish-based Seasalt, which specialises in beach and leisurewear for the holiday market, increased sales through wholesale, its website and 12 stores by an overall 8.8% in 2008. Organic or eco-labelled items account for 63% of its products and a third of sales.
Seasalt opened another new store in Salcombe in March 2009. It expects a boost to business as the economic downturn and exchange rates prompt more people to take holidays in the UK. “We had a drop-off in sales straight after the credit crisis in October because consumer confidence plummeted,” says Neil Chadwick, who owns the business with his two brothers. “But in the two months since mid-December trade has been up about 4% on the same period a year before.”
Soil Association Certification Ltd (SACL) is one of the six leading global textile certifiers. In order of size – largest first – the others are CUC, IMO, Ecocert, ICEA and OTCO. The number of SACL organic textile licensees increased by 58% in 2008 to 75.
New Look's organic cotton knitwear for spring and summer 2009 is certified by the Soil Association, and the company is exploring certification for its jersey items in 2010. “I believe that as more people offer organic cotton, the need from customers to understand the certification involved will become greater,” says Anna Greig, Organic Buyer at New Look. “There will be a growing need for responsible retailers to offer organic cotton certified by a reputable organisation such as the Soil Association.”
Independent retail
Some independent retailers have seen a dip in sales of organic clothing as a result of the downturn, but this tends to be seen as a blip in an upward trend. Cornish-based Seasalt, which specialises in beach and leisurewear for the holiday market, increased sales through wholesale, its website and 12 stores by an overall 8.8% in 2008. Organic or eco-labelled items account for 63% of its products and a third of sales.
Seasalt opened another new store in Salcombe in March 2009. It expects a boost to business as the economic downturn and exchange rates prompt more people to take holidays in the UK. “We had a drop-off in sales straight after the credit crisis in October because consumer confidence plummeted,” says Neil Chadwick, who owns the business with his two brothers. “But in the two months since mid-December trade has been up about 4% on the same period a year before.”
Soil Association Certification Ltd (SACL) is one of the six leading global textile certifiers. In order of size – largest first – the others are CUC, IMO, Ecocert, ICEA and OTCO. The number of SACL organic textile licensees increased by 58% in 2008 to 75.
New Look's organic cotton knitwear for spring and summer 2009 is certified by the Soil Association, and the company is exploring certification for its jersey items in 2010. “I believe that as more people offer organic cotton, the need from customers to understand the certification involved will become greater,” says Anna Greig, Organic Buyer at New Look. “There will be a growing need for responsible retailers to offer organic cotton certified by a reputable organisation such as the Soil Association.”
The Soil Association
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