Lao apparel maker eyes market expansion
Lao apparel maker eyes market expansion
Vandy Garment and Printing Company, a Lao producer of shirts and shorts for children, is set to expand its markets in the provinces after sales in Vientiane have boomed.
A company representative, Ms Lienkham Xayadeth, spoke to Vientiane Times yesterday at the Lao-Thai Trade Exhibition taking place at Lao-ITECC this week.
She said her family business has been manufacturing apparel for children for more than 10 years and has received positive feedback from customers.
“Currently we have some vendors in Champassak province who order shirts and shorts to sell there,” she said, noting that more customers are asking for products made in Laos.
Ms Lienkham said her company wants to promote Lao products and is trying to sell more shirts and shorts in provinces in the north of Laos.
“If possible, we want to expand our markets throughout the country but the problem is that we don't have enough capital to increase the number of garments we make.”
At last year's fair, the company was able to earn about 7 to 8 million kip and expects to make even more money this year.
“We sell our products at prices that everyone can afford. For example, one child's shirt sells for 8,000 kip but if we sell a shirt and shorts together it will cost 15,000 to 20,000 kip,” Ms Lienkham said.
She also makes shirts for adults costing 25,000 to 30,000 kip, which is a relatively cheap price in today's market.
Laos has many garment factories but most of their products are exported to other countries in the region and to international markets.
Ms Lienkham's family business is economically minded and uses some of the waste material from these larger factories. Smaller pieces of cloth are of no use to the large garment manufacturers, but Ms Lienkham's family can put this fabric to good use.
“We also order some high quality textiles from other countries so that we can make good quality clothes for the Lao market,” Ms Lienkham said, adding that if they have enough capital they hope to expand the business in the near future.
The Lao-Thai Trade Exhibition is drawing thousands of visitors from Laos and Thailand. A wide range of locally produced goods and imported products is on display at almost 260 booths at the fair.
The event aims to build a business partnership between the two countries as well as promote bilateral trade cooperation and provide markets for products from the two countries' SMEs.
Thai businesses have brought their products to display at the fair, hoping to make a brisk sale and also with the intention of finding Lao distributors.
One of the most popular booths at the fair is a stand displaying fresh fruit from Thailand where visitors can pick up fruit free of charge.
