Thailand anticipates leathergoods recovery
According to Thailand’s Department of Export Promotion (DEP), the country’s fashion exports are expected to exceed $20 billion in 2010, up 9-13% compared with 2009. However, some of its major manufacturing sectors within the fashion sector really struggled in 2009.
Srirat Rastapana, director general of the DEP, explained: “Thailand earned $17.6 billion from fashion exports in 2009, a moderate increase of 2.2% from 2008. These include $6.4 billion from the textile sector, which experienced a 10.5% negative growth rate; $3 billion from garments, down 15.5 from the previous year; $1.4 billion from leathergoods, travel kits and shoes, down 19.7%; while gems and jewellery jumped 18% to $9.8 billion.”
Ms Srirat believes a turnaround for the fashion sector is in progress as the world’s major economies recover from the economic downturn.
“The fashion export projection for 2010 is $20.3 billion to $21 billion, or 9-13%, growth,” she said. Export value for leathergoods is expected to rise 1% to $1.4 billion this year.
