11 tips for finding buyers in the European apparel market

European buyers will only connect with you if you can offer something better than the suppliers they already have. This means you need to find buyers that match perfectly with your company and products. Randomly approaching companies with a generic offer in Europe’s highly segmented market will result in failure. This report will not guarantee that you will find new buyers in Europe, but it will help you understand where you can find interesting prospects and how to approach them.

1. Determine your unique selling points before targeting buyers

Before approaching potential buyers, you need to determine your unique selling points (USPs). Ask yourself: What makes your company, your products, your service level or your CSR strategy special? What is your sales strategy? For instance, do you want to be the cheapest supplier in your country? Do you want to compete by being the most sustainable factory? By developing innovative materials and concepts? Or do you want to focus on a niche?

Successfully finding and engaging with new buyers is a continuous process. It takes large investments in time and money. If you do not prepare well by determining your own USPs, any match will likely fail.

Different buyers in the value chain

The most important distinction you should make between potential buyers is their place in the value chain, because this will determine how they do business with you (see figure 1). Within each part of the value chain, you will find buyers of different market size, with different requirements regarding MOQ and price (see table 1).

Each type of buyer needs a specific approach. Always try to find out in what part of the value chain your buyer is operating, what challenges they face in the market and how you can contribute to their company strategy.

• If you want to target European end consumers directly, try selling via Alibaba, Wish, Amazon, specialised platforms such as Depop or Wolf & Badger, or via social media platforms such as Instagram Shopping. Always combine selling via a platform with a professional website. Most online consumers can be found in Europe’s northwest. You will need to invest in a web shop, stock, order management and customer service. Your biggest challenge will be return policies and a lack of brand awareness.
• Online multi-brand retailers such as Zalando, Asos, Yoox or Aboutyou sell existing brands and may develop their own private collections, mostly value brands. They can detect market interest very fast and will immediately react to sales data. Usually, such companies will place a small test order first. If the item is selling well, they will place the actual production order. Fast delivery is a must. Online multi-brand retailers have benefited from increased online sales during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• If you want to sell to fashion retailers, Zara, H&M and Primark are some of the biggest names in Europe, in addition to the many smaller fashion boutiques you will find there. Retailers are under pressure from the massive growth of online sales via online multi-brand-shops. These shops can place an order relatively easy as they only need one development sample for order confirmation. Order quantities range from large (for big players) to very small. Price pressure is high.
• If you want to service fashion brands, such as Petrol Industries, Kaporal, or Superdry be aware that they typically develop a collection six to 12 months in advance. You will need a large sample room, as brands require salesman samples (SMS) of each collection style. Every sample needs to be ‘actual’: looking exactly like the product will in the shop, with branded hangtags and accessories. It may take months before orders are placed.
• Intermediaries (agents or traders/importers/private label companies) resell your product to buyers higher up the value chain. They are price focused and require flexibility in quantities and qualities. Some are located near or in the production countries and primarily do sourcing and logistics, such as Li & Fung. Others, such as Dr. Rehfeld and Trademarktex, work from Europe and also focus on market research, design and stock keeping.

Figure 1: The apparel market value chain

Search for buyers that match your size, MOQ, quality and price level

Any type of buyer can be a good match if you can comply with the requirements the buyer has. You need to study them, decide if you match and possibly develop your proposition if you want to have a chance of doing business. Always try to find out what challenges your potential buyer has and try to offer a solution.

If you are a small to medium-sized manufacturer in a developing country, intermediaries are likely the most interesting type of buyer for you, followed by small to medium-sized (niche) brands and retailers in the medium to high-price segment.

Bigger factories may focus on larger orders for multi-brand online platforms and big value brands and retailers, but only if they have the right certifications and production efficiency.

End consumers are an interesting target group, because of increasing opportunities to reach them via online channels and potentially high profit-margins. However, this market comes with complicated customer service demands (return policy, for instance).

Covid-19, transport costs and its effects on buyer preferences

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, much of the European fashion industry has been in crisis mode recently. Buying closer to the market, keeping stock as low as possible, smaller orders and faster delivery are a few of the solutions that European buyers have been looking for. The end of the pandemic has not changed this trend, because global freight logistics are still expensive. If you are close to Europe and can deliver flexibility, you should advertise this.

Find a niche

Niche markets are relatively stable and will have less competition from other suppliers. Be aware, however, that niche buyers have very specific product requirements. An interesting niche in the retail market can be multi-product stores and sales points, such as gas stations, supermarkets, gift stores, tourist stores and DIY stores. Another interesting niche are specialised buyers, for example, in workwear, performance wear, adaptive wear and promotional wear.

2. Create a representative website and company profile

Many manufacturers in developing countries, and in Europe for that matter, still think a website or online company profile has no priority. They are wrong. Being untraceable online is not only a missed promotional opportunity, it is also a first hint to potential buyers that you run an unprofessional organisation. Because building a professional website doesn’t require large investments, this is an excellent opportunity to distinguish yourself from competitors.

3. Promote your company online

Promoting your company online is one of the cheapest and most time efficient ways of connecting to potential buyers. After you have created a representative website, it is important to direct potential buyers to it. There are several ways of doing this.

Social media

The most popular website for buyers in Europe to connect with other professionals is LinkedIn. If you don’t have a profile yet, sign up and make one. Use the company profile that you created (see above) to make a LinkedIn company profile. Post articles or videos about new (product) developments in your company or directly approach potential buyers. Find apparel professionals by typing in ‘apparel’, ‘fashion’, ‘design’, ‘sourcing’ or related terms in the search bar. You can also request to join specific sourcing groups, such as the Apparel Sourcing Group or Global Apparel and Textiles Sourcing.

Successful company webpages on LinkedIn include:

• Denim Expert (44,000 followers)
• Raymond Limited (175,000 followers)
• Arvind (128,000 followers)

Online search engines

Relatively few buyers use online search engines to find new suppliers. To attract the buyers that do, make sure your website contains the term ‘manufacturer’ or ‘supplier’ plus the apparel items that you are specialised in and the country you operate in. Do a Google search for the keywords mentioned above and see which companies from your country are at the top of the search list. Try to analyse why the content on their websites makes them attractive for Google and draw inspiration for your own company website.

Paying for ads to promote your company

Before you decide to pay for adds on LinkedIn, Google or other online platforms, always do your math. Find out what results you can expect, set specific targets and start with small amounts of money. Websites like LinkedIn, Google and Facebook will let you target very specific groups based on very specific keywords, which is great. The problem with paid adds is that the cost per click for the most effective adds can be substantial. That is because the most popular terms are the most expensive, because they attract the most competition.

Advertorials

An effective form of paid advertising is using advertorials to promote your business. Many popular online industry websites such as Fashion United or country-specific websites such as Textilia (Netherlands) will let you publish paid articles on their website or on their newsletter. These articles can include photos of your company and products, or online videos, for example, about your company’s ambition or vision of the apparel manufacturing business.

4. Find potential buyers in online databases and on matchmaking websites

Several websites will let you search for potential buyers in a database of companies. Finding the name of a retailer or brand is not the biggest challenge, however. Connecting to the right sourcing manager in that company is. A great way to do this is to search on LinkedIn for sourcing managers at the companies that you have discovered in an online database. Other websites are specifically built to connect supply and demand in the apparel industry.

• Retail-Index is an online database with profiles of major apparel retailers in Europe.

The following websites are among the most used matchmaking platforms by European buyers. Here you can sign up and connect with buyers that publish request for quotations. All websites let you sign up for free. Some also have a paid membership service. In addition to promoting your offers, these websites let you browse inquiries from buyers as well.

• Alibaba – The world’s largest online B2B marketplace and one of the most popular platforms in Europe. It lets buyers search for suppliers of many different products, not only apparel, by country, product category, MOQ, total revenue and certifications. Alibaba supports many different languages besides English.
• Foursource – Together with Alibaba, Foursource is the most used platform in Europe, specifically for apparel sourcing. In has over 30,000 factories from more than 90 countries. Foursource lets buyers search for suppliers by country, product category, MOQ and certifications. It also offers manufacturers the opportunity to present their products in a virtual showroom.
• Indiamart – Considered the world’s second-largest online B2B marketplace after Alibaba, specifically built for suppliers from India.
• Fibre2Fashion Marketplace – Started in 2000, Fibre2Fashion is one of the oldest and biggest online B2B portals specifically for the apparel industry. Next to matchmaking services for products ranging from fibres and fabrics to accessories and machinery, it offers analysis reports, consultancy services and a magazine.
• Sewport – launched in 2017 as an online B2B matchmaking platform to help designers and emerging brands find apparel manufacturers that can handle small to medium-sized MOQs, it allows buyers to upload their sketches, tech packs and order quantities. Sewport has more than 18,000 active brands and almost 1,200 manufacturers in its database.
• Apparel Buyer Contact – Not a matchmaking platform but a consultancy service selling comprehensive lists of European apparel buyers, the actual people responsible for sourcing apparel within European apparel companies, with their contact data.

Other interesting databases are the member lists of organisations concerned with sustainable production. Clicking on the logo in the table below will take you to the members list of the organisation.

Table 1: Sustainable textile industry organisations and their members

5. Visit the right online and offline events and come prepared

Trade fairs used to be the most important events for buyers and suppliers to meet and do business. They are not that important anymore, as many buyers and suppliers have found other, more time and cost-effective ways to connect, for instance online. However, physical trade fairs can still be an interesting way to find potential buyers, if you do it right.

The following trade shows offer the best opportunities for connecting with European buyers. Every fair has a specific target group.

Figure 2: Since the end of the Covid 19-pandemic, most trade fairs have gone back to physical events, such as Texworld Paris in July 2022. Visitor numbers are not yet back to pre-Covid levels, however.

Source: FT Journalistiek

Fibres

• Pitti Filati: fibre and yarn fair in Florence, Italy.

Fabrics

• Première Vision: Europe’s most important international fair for yarns, fabrics, accessories, leather and trends in Paris.
• Texworld: fair for fabrics, trims and accessories, held simultaneously with Premiere Vision in Paris.
• Munich Fabric Start: fair for fabrics, accessories and innovations in Munich.
• Intertextile: fair for fabrics and accessories in Shanghai.

Leather

• Lineapelle: fair for leather, synthetics and accessories in Milan.
• ILM: leather goods fair in Offenbach, Germany.
• Gallery: shoes in Düsseldorf, Germany
• ACLE: fair for leather, footwear and accessories in Shanghai.
• APLF: fair for leather goods, accessories and fabrics in Hong Kong.

Apparel manufacturing

• Apparel Sourcing: the biggest garment sourcing fair in Europe, with nearly 30,000 visitors in Paris.
• Interfilière: fair for lingerie and swimwear in Paris.
• ISPO: fair for sportswear in Munich.
• A&A: fair for workwear in Düsseldorf, Germany.
• AFSW: biggest apparel sourcing fair in Africa, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Remember that participating in a trade fair can be a costly business. You need to hire a booth, prepare a collection, pay for transport, travel costs and working hours for yourself and your staff. To avoid disappointments and lost investments, always come prepared.

6. Follow up on new contacts immediately

Your work as an exhibitor at a trade fair, online trade show or matchmaking event does not end when the event is over. It has only just begun. Be quick to reconnect with potential buyers you have met. Send them promotional materials, samples or answers that they have asked for.

Figure 3: If you get questions via email, always confirm within a day, even if it is just to announce that you will respond in more detail later.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

7. Use your existing network to find new buyers

If you have a good personal relationship with a buyer at a company, sharing your ambitions can open new doors. Buyers often have a large local network in the industry and will usually be happy to refer you to a friend if they are satisfied with the business relationship.

When a buyer moves from one employer to another, stay connected via LinkedIn. This will help you follow up on any career changes your contact might make and will let you see your buyer’s network.

8. Find buyers via sector associations

Sector associations in the apparel industry represent and support member companies. In many cases, this includes providing information on sourcing issues, so this means opportunity for you to connect with potential buyers. Select a sector association for the companies you want to target and ask the association for possibilities to publish an introduction in their newsletter, or to participate in a matchmaking event. Most associations publish a list of members online, which is an easy way to gather data on potential buyers.

The following sector associations are the most important in Europe. They represent different international and national markets and market segments.

• The International Apparel Federation represents sector associations, brands and manufacturers in trade and sourcing issues.
• The European Branded Clothing Alliance represents more than 60 member companies.
• Eurocommerce represents the interests of 31 big retailers and wholesalers and 13 retail federations in Europe.

National sector associations:

• German fashion represents the German fashion industry and the interests of its 350 member companies.
• The Fashion Council Germany is another German association, supporting more than 100 German fashion brands and retailers.
• The FHCM is the French sector association for high-end apparel brands.
• The UK Fashion and Textile association represents more than 400 fashion brands and designers in the UK.
• Mode Suisse represents the interests of companies in the Swiss textile industry and retail market.
• The Association of Swedish Fashion Brands represents the interests of 70 Swedish fashion brands.
• Modint is the sector association for Dutch apparel companies focusing on wholesale and manufacturing.

For an overview of national sector associations, check the member page of Euratex, the European confederation of textile and apparel associations.

The following are sector associations for specific apparel markets or niches:

• PCIAW is the international sector association for workwear.
• COTANCE is the representative body of the European leather industry.
• Children’s Fashion Europe promotes the interests of children’s fashion companies in Europe. It is formed by several national children’s fashion associations.
• United Fashion is an independent platform connecting manufacturers to independent European designers and start-up fashion labels.

9. Let support organisations help you find buyers

Several international support organisations support the apparel industry in developing countries with export coaching. These organisations are funded by different governments and deploy sector experts. Participating in developing programmes is a good way to develop your business potential in the European market. Because of Covid-19 travel restrictions, many support organisations have set up online matchmaking events and coaching programmes. Register for such online events. For the time being, they are the only way of connecting.

10. Set up a dedicated marketing and sales team

In many factories in developing countries, marketing and sales is done by one person: the CEO. This should be avoided. Developing and executing a successful marketing and sales strategy is too much work for one person. Secondly, marketing and sales require expertise and experience. Marketing is promoting your organisation. Sales has a clear focus on business development and buyer relationship. Both disciplines are highly specialised.

11. Hire a sales agent or representative

Developing and maintaining relationships with new buyers is a continuous, long-term process. A good way to do this is to employ a local sales agent or representative. The trend is that more and more manufacturers invest in sales offices and showrooms in Europe and employ representatives, and Covid-19 travel restrictions have made this extra urgent. Don’t think, however, that anybody with a large network in Europe will get you easy orders. There is no such thing as an easy order. Prepare for a long-term investment in sales.

Figure 4: Because sales is a long-term process, having a local representative can make it easier for you to find new buyers.

Sopurce: Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

Further Reading

The CBI study ‘10 Tips for Doing Business with European Buyers’ will help you understand what is needed to successfully approach a potential buyer and how you can develop a long-lasting business relationship with them.

The CBI study ‘10 Tips for Organising Your Exports’ will give you quick answers to the most pressing issues that come into play when organising shipments to Europe.

This study was carried out on behalf of CBI by Frans Tilstra and Giovanni Beatrice for FT Journalistiek.

Please review our market information disclaimer.