Among the top companies that manufacture garments in Bulgaria are the PHB Group, Stivan ltd, LTM Garments and Kauno Baltija. The garments that these companies produce are in great demand throughout the world.
LTM Garments
Founded in 2004 in Vilnius, Lithuania, LTM Garments is one of the leading garment manufacturing companies in Bulgaria. It provides designing, research and development, material sourcing and quality assurance. The company cooperates with 10 factories in Bulgaria. The company aims to become a world-known name in super-fine count yarn production.
The garment industry is one of the most important sectors in Bulgaria’s economy. The sector has a high percentage of exports, mainly of clothing. However, the industry has been facing several challenges since the COVID-19 pandemic struck the fashion industry in 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic affected products in two ways: it affected the supply chain, and it affected the exports and imports of textiles. As a result, the share of the textiles subsector in the national manufacturing production decreased to 1.5%.
The apparel subsector employed over 86.8 thousand people in 2018. The production of the apparel sector accounted for more than a quarter of the manufacturing jobs in Bulgaria in 2018. The T&C subsector accounted for almost 70 thousand jobs.
The T&C subsector faces a number of challenges in the post-pandemic world, including an ageing population, the shortage of workers, and the need to digitalise business processes. It also needs to reskill its workforce.
LTM Garments aims to become a leading manufacturer of technical and corporate garments. It is a member of the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange. It is also part of an EU-funded project. The main shareholders have 50 years of experience in knitted garments.
The clothing subsector has been dominated by high value garments. But, in recent years, there has been a slump in demand. In addition, transportation delays and the closure of two major materials suppliers disrupted the supply chain.
Stivan ltd
Located in Haskovo, Bulgaria, Stivan Ltd is a manufacturer of high quality etc., including overalls, jackets and sports wear. This company is part of the multinational Silcotech Group. It is listed in the Trade India verified seller list.
The textile and clothing industry plays a vital role in Bulgaria’s economy. Over a quarter of the jobs in manufacturing are in this industry. It is also a very important exporting industry. The country exported around 1.5 billion euros of clothing in 2018. In 2018, apparel subsector employed over 86.8 thousand people.
However, this is not to say that the T&C industry hasn’t taken a beating over the last twelve years. In fact, the number of jobs has been shrinking in both Bulgaria and Romania.
The biggest problem for garment producers is a slump in demand. Several companies have been forced to shut down due to failing Privatization.
Another challenge facing the T&C sector is the ageing population. The T&C industry faces a shortage of workers, and it needs to reskill and digitalise its business operations.
The pandemic of COVID-19 has hit the industry hard. This has resulted in a sharp decline in imports and a positive trade balance. It has also impacted the share of high-value products. The share of the T&C industry’s highest value products has dropped to 15.5%.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the textile and clothing industry. Despite this, the quality of the exported product has been quite impressive.
Besides, the industry has shown a clear positive trade balance. In fact, the ExUV of textile and clothing products produced in Bulgaria has actually increased significantly over the last few years.
Kauno Baltija
Located in Kauno, Lithuania, Kauno Baltija is a garment manufacturing company that specializes in women’s outerwear. With 80 years of sewing experience under its belt, JSC Kauno Baltija is able to turn around orders at lightning speeds.
The company has a fleet of specialized vehicles and four production centers, each equipped with state-of-the-art machinery. The company is also a member of the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange. The company boasts of a robust e-commerce platform. The company offers a variety of services including designing, material sourcing, quality assurance and transportation. The company is also a part of an EU funded project.
The company also takes the initiative by establishing relationships with logistics companies. The company uses the latest technology to ensure quality products are delivered on time.
The company produces over 500,000 pieces of clothing annually, and is well suited to meet the needs of customers with special requirements. The company is a member of the Apparetinian Apparetia, a Lithuanian group of textile manufacturers, and is well positioned to supply garments to the European market.
The company has a strong track record of supplying high end apparel to prestigious brands. It is also the largest retailer of Groupon items in the Baltic states. The company cooperates with factories from around the world.
The company has won several awards, including the Lithuanian Textile Association’s annual award for its innovation in the textile industry. The company is also a member of several trade organizations.
The company’s products are sold in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany and Scandinavia. The company has also set up production facilities in Moldova and Belarus. With a total of 650 employees, the company claims to produce over 14,000 pieces of clothing monthly.
PHB Group
Founded in Loire, France in 1978, PHB Group has grown into an international apparel company with 16 factories spread across nine countries, including Bulgaria. Today, the company employs 4,500 people in various locations. Originally, the company specialized in men’s wear, but expanded in Eastern European countries to manufacture women’s outerwear.
The company’s main focus is on apparel manufacturing, but it also offers supply chain management services, add-value solutions for startups, and one-stop-shop manufacturing. In addition to its own line of products, PHB Group has been working with numerous companies to provide supply chain management and add-value services.
In terms of apparel, the best place to look is actually Bulgaria. The country’s proximity to Europe’s premier retailers and consumers makes it a hotspot for textiles. In 2007, when the sector employed over 168 thousand people, the industry was responsible for over a quarter of the country’s manufacturing output. By 2018, that number was down to less than a fifth of what it was, but the sector still employed over 86.8 thousand workers.
The T&C industry is facing several challenges. The ageing population, the onset of mass emigration and a lack of skilled labor make it hard for the industry to keep up with demand. This has led to serious financial difficulties for garment producers. In order to survive, the sector needs to reskill its workforce and digitalize its business operations. These changes will come with a price tag, however, and companies need to prove their worth by producing products with a higher quality.
The top garment manufacturing companies in Bulgaria include Kauno Baltija, LTM Garments, and Pentland. The former manufactures 500,000 pieces per year, while the latter exports to the US, UK, and Scandinavia. The LTM brand, on the other hand, produces 250,000 pieces.
COVID-19 pandemic
During the year 2007, Bulgaria employed over 148 thousand people in its textile and clothing sector. However, the number of jobs has decreased in the last 12 years.
The country’s T&C sector has lost almost 69 thousand jobs, while the share of the textile subsector in the national manufacturing production has decreased by over one third. In addition, the financial situation of the garment manufacturers has worsened.
A new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) says that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the global economy has already been “enormous.” It also calls on governments to reduce the risks associated with the epidemic.
The World Trade Organization predicts a sharp decline in global trade. It also states that garment industry supply chains must be smartified. It is necessary to ensure the continued relevance of these supply chains for a number of reasons. The main challenges faced by the industry include supply chain disruption, rising costs of raw materials and liquidity issues.
During the past two years, freight rates have increased in unprecedented ways. This has made the logistics of the textile and clothing industry more challenging.
As a result, many apparel and footwear companies in the US have closed their stores. Some retailers are cutting their opening hours. In addition, the ageing population will continue to pose a challenge to the growth of the clothing sector.
While the textile and clothing industry in Bulgaria has seen a substantial increase in its ExUV over the years, the textile subsector’s share of the country’s manufacturing output has dropped considerably. This was due to the slump in consumer demand and exports.
The crisis has also caused a severe drop in imports. The number of imports of T&C into Bulgaria decreased by almost a third. This was largely the result of the spread of the coronavirus in the export markets.
Henry Pham (Pham Quang Anh), CEO of DONY Garment
This year, we have found that many international buyers are seeking new suppliers based in nations outside of China and Thailand to purchase many goods and products, including uniforms, workwear, reusable cloth face mask, and protective clothing.
At DONY Garment, we are proud to welcome international customers, especially those based in the US, Canada, the Middle East, and the EU market to discover the professional production line at our factory in Vietnam.
We guarantee our products are of the highest quality, at an affordable cost, and easy to transport across the world.