NKD Clothing

Could cheap clothes be given the cold shoulder this winter? Devastating floods in Pakistan - one of the world's largest cotton producers - and fears over this year's crop in China have sent cotton prices surging to 15-year highs in recent weeks and warmer fabrics such as wool and cashmere are also increasingly blended with cotton.

At NKD, we're already feeling the pinch, with many of our garment suppliers driving up prices in line with higher cotton costs. To further complicate matters, the cotton shortage comes at time when production possibilities are also in decline. Many factories in the Middle East have closed their doors driving demand to China, but demand is overtaking supply, creating a bottle neck, causing headaches for garment makers like ourselves and our suppliers.

We have always endeavoured to support the textile industry in the UK, with two of our major manufacturers only a short car journey away, our clients benefit from shorter lead times and premium garments. Our participation at Premiere Vision earlier this month established fantastic fabric and production possibilities in Europe and our mission to increase this portfolio and create a comprehensive library of NKD fabrics and patterns continues with a trip to Portugal next week.

Retail experts forecast clothing inflation in the UK will hit a new 24 year high in 2010, meaning retailers take a hit on profits, or more likely put up their prices. While we admire catwalks brimming with couture at London Fashion Week, could we actually be about to witness the end of fast fashion? Let us know what you think about changes in the clothing market?