UNIQLO Places First Order With Taiwanese Garment Maker

Taipei, Dec. 24, 2010 (CENS)--Amid apparently brisk sales in its first retailer in Taipei, UNIQLO, Japan's most popular garment brand, recently placed orders for blue jeans with Nien Hsing Textile Co., world's largest contractor of blue jeans in Taiwan, the first for the Japanese brand who will start to take delivery in mid-January of 2011, with initial shipment of about 20,000 pairs.

Levi's, the world's iconic blue jean brand, is Nien Hsing's largest blue jean buyer, contributing 20% to the company's revenues. Besides being pleased with UNIQLO's order, Nien Hsing is also trying to vie for orders from H&M, a leading garment brand in Europe.

To meet growing orders, Nien Hsing is expanding operations and its third plant in Vietnam is expected to come on-stream in the third quarter of 2011, which will raise the company's output of denim garments by 150%.

This year Nien Hsing's production volume is estimated to be 2.95 million dozens which is estimated to surge to 7.375 million dozens next year.

Makalot Industrial Co., Taiwan's largest garment maker, is also contacting UNIQLO to try to tap into its supply chain. Besides, it is exploring the European market, having started this year delivered garments to ZARA, a renowned garment brand in Spain, as well as having increased shipment to H&M since last year.

The United States is Makalot's major sales outlet, from where 95% of the company's revenues come; but the maker plans to pay more attention to the European market.