MISSION STATEMENT
WOMEN’S APPAREL TRADE MISSION TO EUROPE
Amsterdam, Netherlands: April 14-16, 2007
Brussels, Belgium: April 16-19, 2007
Dublin, Ireland: April 19-20, 2007

MISSION DESCRIPTION

The Commerce Department’s Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) will sponsor a women’s plus size apparel trade mission to Europe from April 14-20, 2007. The mission will include a staff member from OTEXA and representatives from U.S. apparel companies interested in selling plus size apparel in Europe or establishing representation agreements for such products.

Companies selling women’s plus size clothing in the better quality ranges are likely to have the best chance of success. The mission is planned to consist of manufacturers and suppliers of women’s plus size apparel.

COMMERCIAL SETTING

The European apparel market is currently supplied with apparel from both domestic and foreign manufacturers and suppliers. As with the United States, the European market is permeated with mass produced, low quality imports, primarily from China.

U.S. plus size apparel suppliers can be successful in Europe due to the established nature of the U.S. plus size industry, which has a reputation for producing fashion-forward designs and high quality products.

The Netherlands, Belgium, and Ireland are key markets in Europe where there has been an increase in demand for fashionable plus size women’s apparel. Traditionally, larger size apparel is seen as an “afterthought” in these markets. However, over the past twenty years the market for larger sizes has become one of the fastest growing segments of the apparel industry. Women who wear clothing in larger sizes are no longer content with ill-fitting clothes that lack a sense of fashion. Today’s woman is looking for trendy, fashion-forward clothing that flatters her body type. For European women especially, it is not a question of finding clothing in larger sizes, it is a question of finding fashionable clothing. This is an opportunity for U.S. manufacturers of fashion-forward apparel in the better quality ranges to increase their sales and expand their customer base.

The Netherlands, Belgium, and Ireland are members of the European Union (EU). Members of the EU share common tariffs on imported products from non-EU countries. Currently the duty rates for apparel entering the EU range from 6.3% to 12%.

In 2005, the U.S. exported $20.44 million dollars in apparel to the Netherlands; $43.08 million to Belgium/Luxembourg; and $8.84 million to Ireland. Respectively, these figures represent 23%, 19.8%, and 9.4% growth over U.S. exports in 2004.

MISSION GOALS

The trade mission’s goal is to increase mission participants’ exports of women’s plus size apparel to Europe, and to secure representation agreements for mission participants by arranging meetings with pre-screened buyers, agents, and distributors.

MISSION SCENARIO AND COST

Between six and eight companies are expected to participate in this mission. The Department of Commerce reserves the right to adjust this number due to market or logistical constraints. The Department also reserves the right to select participants based on advice provided to us from consultants and staff from the U.S. Commercial Service (CS).

One-on-one appointments will be made in three cities in Europe: Amsterdam, Netherlands; Brussels, Belgium; and Dublin, Ireland. Mission participants will meet individually by appointment with buyers, agents, and distributors pre-screened by the U.S. Commercial Service. At each stop there will be a mission briefing for participants on local market conditions and selling opportunities.

The mission cost will be $3,900.00 per company for the Netherlands and Belgium, excluding travel and meals. The Ireland stop will be “optional” and will have a separate participation fee. Companies that participate in the Dublin stop will be charged an additional $1,000.00 to cover expenses for one-on-one matchmaking appointments, space rental, and hospitality.

TIMETABLE

Mission participants are scheduled to arrive in Amsterdam, Netherlands on Saturday, April 14, 2007. On Sunday, April 15, participants will attend a market briefing conducted by CS Netherlands staff members and representatives from key industry organizations. That afternoon, participants will attend the Bijzondere Maten Beurs trade show, which is a consumer show focusing on women’s plus size apparel. The show visit will be followed by a no-host dinner in Amsterdam. On Monday, April 16, one-on-one appointments will be scheduled at the participants’ hotel from approximately 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. That evening, participants will attend a reception at their hotel and will then depart for Brussels, the mission’s second stop, via bus.

The mission is scheduled to arrive in Brussels on the evening of Monday, April 16, 2007. On Tuesday, April 17, participants will attend a market briefing that will include presentations from CS Belgium and CS EU on local and EU legislation, the Labeling Society, and either the Association Creamoda or Flanders Fashion Institute. In the afternoon, participants will travel to the Brussels Trade Mart to explore possible partnerships with companies there. On Wednesday, April 18, one-on-one appointments will be scheduled at the participants’ hotel from approximately 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. That evening, participants will attend a group dinner to discuss possible strategies for following up on their meetings. On Thursday, April 19, participants who are continuing on to the optional third stop in Ireland will depart Brussels for Dublin. Other participants will depart individually.

The remaining mission participants will arrive in Dublin on Thursday, April 19, 2007. That evening, they will attend either a no-host group dinner or a reception at their hotel. On Friday, April 20, following a market briefing conducted by Commercial Service staff members from Dublin, one-on-one appointments will be scheduled at the participants’ hotel from approximately 9:30 am to 5:00 pm.

Mission participants will depart individually from Dublin on Saturday, April 21, 2007.

Recruitment for this trade mission will begin immediately and will conclude on February 2, 2007. Participation is open to the first eight qualified U.S. applicants.

CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPANT SELECTION

• Relevance of a company’s product line to mission goals
• Timeliness of signed application and participation agreement by company (including the participation fee)
• Minimum of six, maximum of eight participating companies on the mission
• Potential for business in the Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland

Mission recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner, including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Internet, press releases to the general and trade media, direct mail and fax, notices by industry trade associations and other multiplier groups, and at industry meetings, conferences, trade shows, etc.

A company’s products must be either produced or converted in the United States, or if not, at least 51% of the value of the contents of each such product must be produced in the U.S. Any partisan political activities (including political contributions) of an applicant are entirely irrelevant to the selection process.

Contacts: Laurie Mease at Laurie_Mease@ita.doc.gov or (202) 482-2043 or Kim-Bang Nguyen at Kim-Bang_Nguyen@ita.doc.gov or (202) 482-4805.