Western European Workwear Markets

Research Overview

This Frost & Sullivan research titled Western European Workwear Markets provides detailed analyses of the roles of fashion, technical textiles and branding. In this research, Frost & Sullivan's expert analysts thoroughly examine the following markets: general workwear, corporate attire and uniforms.

Market Sectors

Expert Frost & Sullivan analysts thoroughly examine the following market sectors in this research:

By Product Type:

• General workwear
• Corporate workwear
• Uniform

By Region:

• Germany
• The United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland
• France
• Italy
• Scandinavia (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden)
• Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg)
• Iberia (Spain and Portugal)
• Alpine (Austria and Switzerland)

Market Overview

Workwear Must Become More Fashionable to Overcome its ‘Cheap and Cheerful’ image

The workwear market is witnessing rapid changes across Western Europe. While product choice has earlier been dictated by its price and durability, growing demand for stylish workwear is driving workwear manufacturers to adapt their ranges accordingly. In the future, while price will continue to remain an important factor, end users are unlikely to accept cheap and outdated garments.

"Workwear manufacturers will no longer be able to foist clothes onto end users that they themselves would not wear," states the analyst of this research service. "There is a fine balance to be achieved between fashion and function and the industry is finding this hard to achieve." Workwear manufacturers need to recognise that fashionable clothing for workwear must be classic and ageless instead of the latest catwalk trends. In related developments, successful workwear companies have noticed that end users are no longer willing to wear shoddy polyester garments issued with a ‘one-style-suits-all’ mentality and are adapting to the needs of today’s working population.

Product Differentiation Crucial for Growth in the Mature Market

Several of the larger workwear manufacturers are achieving growth, which greatly exceeds the general market growth rate. The strategies implemented by these successful companies can be applied by market entrants as well as existing participants. "The most successful workwear companies are those that have established a brand identity for their products," notes the analyst. "Workers recognise the brand name and want to wear the clothing because they associate the brands with quality and style."

Currently, the market is saturated with approximately 750 participants operating within Western Europe. However, several opportunities exist to exploit growth markets such as casual wear as well as trends in technical textiles. By expanding product offerings to include a new technical fabric or a new style of clothing, workwear manufacturers will be able to promote their product offerings and secure new business.