Philippines to persuade Uniqlo for setting up garment unit

06 Jul '12

2 min read

In order to persuade Japan’s Fast Retailing Co. Ltd. to set up its apparel production factories in Philippines, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is helping the company to develop a market for its Uniqlo brand clothing in the country.

Philippine Trade Undersecretary, Cristino L. Panlilio, said that presently most of the products of the Japanese firm are produced by its partner manufacturing firms in China and other Asian countries, but the Philippine government is optimistic that the firm would soon consider setting up its garment production factories in the country, after achieving significant sales in the domestic market.

Uniqlo is a label of the Japanese firm Fast Retailing, a global retail holding firm that designs, produces and sells men’s, women’s and children’s apparels. The company operates over 1,100 outlets in Japan and other countries like the UK, Russia, China, France, Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Korea, Singapore and the US.

The Uniqlo brand was launched in Philippines by way of a joint venture between Fast Retailing Co. Ltd. and SM Retail Inc., which led to formation of Fast Retailing Philippines Inc., which would operate Uniqlo outlets in the country, Mr. Panlilio said.

He said this is just the initial stage of a business relationship, as at times it is not possible to persuade a firm to start a production unit at once. A foreign firm may initially get in the country as an importer and then it would steadily develop a liking for the market, as its business grows. This would ultimately lead them to consider setting up a factory in the country, the Trade Undersecretary explained.

The joint venture firm, which recently opened an outlet at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, has said that it intends to launch 50 Uniqlo outlets in the Philippines over the next three years.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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