Portugal denim market more suitable for mid-sized brands
Founded in 1981, Lisama, a Portuguese company, is a pioneer in the textile manufacturing sector of denim garments. In an interview with Fibre2Fashion, Emanuel Fertuzinhos, Director-Commercial, Lisama, talks about Portugal's denim industry in general and Lisama's presence in the domestic and international markets, its strengths and competitors.
How big is the market for denims in Portugal? How does it compare to the rest of the world market?
We like denims and if you walk on the streets of Portugal, you can see it everywhere. Portugal is a small market and regular people just want good looking jeans at reasonable price. It is very difficult to compare it with rest of the world in terms of size. I see Portugal denim market more suitable for mid-sized brands who offer a pair of jeans with something extra like pushups, push in, stay black, stay dry, etc.
How many people are employed with Lisama as on date?
We have 70 workers as on date.
Where are your manufacturing units based at? What is your annual production capacity?
Our manufacturing units are based at Guimarães. Our annual production capacity is 250,000 pieces a year.
Which sections of the fashion industry is your denim ranges targeted at? Is it for the mass or the luxury segment?
Our products are targeted neither for mass nor for luxury segment. Our targets are small and mid-sized brands who are exploring new and growing segments at reasonable product prices. But we work for luxury brands too.
What percentage of your products is for the domestic market and how much do you export? Which regions are your biggest markets?
50 per cent of our products are for the domestic market and rest 50 per cent we export. Most of our customers are based in north of Europe.
Which brands & retailers are you currently associated with?
We are associated with Salsa, Indigofera, Livid, YMC, Lion of Porches, COF Studio, so on.
Which company recycles the wastes of your denim products? What is done later?
We have a company that converts most of our denim wastes into polishers for cutlery industry that is locally very big.
What are the top 3 trends dominating the denim industry currently in terms of weaves, materials, colours, and finishes?
Authentic looking weaves, with sustainable good quality materials and nice old days colour finishing technique.
Who are your competitors in the international market?
Italy, Turkey, Tunisia are our competitors in the international market.
How do you see the denim market segment growing in the next 5-10 years both locally and internationally?
I don´t see the denim market growing either locally or internationally. There will be growth in new generation brands or players, who understand the market dynamics better versus old generation brands.
How do you keep track of denim market trends and other related information?
We visit fairs and events. In some events, we are the exhibitors, but most of the information comes from our partners, suppliers and customers.
What are the long-term goals of Lisama?
Our long-term goal is to increase our customer base, improve lead times and service to our customers. (PC)
Published on: 11/03/2020
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
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