The landscape for exporting office and school bags has changed significantly over the last decade. Not only are established brands outsourcing production, but online retailers like Amazon and Bol.com are also facilitating outsourced production by offering fast-moving decent quality low to mid-end products. At the same time there is also an appreciation for higher quality, especially in the leather work bag segment. This opens up a significant luxury market, although existing European brands dominate in the luxury item segment, in which brand appreciation is very important.

The European market for notebooks is growing, with developing countries as important suppliers, which makes it an interesting market for you. Demand is driven by a re-appreciation of offline life, where consumers are using paper to write down their thoughts and plans. The mid- to high-end market offers you the most opportunities, especially in the handmade niches. To target these segments, you need to add value to your products through design, craftsmanship, materials, and finish. Sustainability values can also give you a competitive edge.

The European market for travel accessories made of textiles presents interesting opportunities for developing country exporters, as demand for travel accessories is increasing. This upward trend is expected to continue over the next few years. Almost half of the European imports of textile travel accessories are supplied by developing countries, which makes them the main source of imports into the European market. In order to succeed, you should keep two important trends in mind: increased demand for sustainable materials and products made of lightweight yet fashionable fabrics.

European imports of lighting products are increasing, including those coming directly from developing countries. This makes Europe an interesting market for you. Mass production from China dominates the lower ends of the lighting market, so the mid-end to high-end segments offer you the most opportunities. You should focus on design, craftsmanship and storytelling because consumers in those segments want to express their personal style with the products they buy. Sustainability is also becoming increasingly important.

An increased focus on the garden and the disappearing barrier between indoor and outdoor living spaces are driving European demand for garden furniture. This makes Europe an interesting market for you, particularly the mid to high-end segments. Natural materials and handmade designs offer good opportunities in both of these segments, where major sector trends such as wellness, sustainability and urbanisation play a key role.