Children are emerging as the most important consumer segment in the Middle East garment industry, as the demand for children’s apparel is growing by 15 to 20 percent annually.
Recent market studies indicate that the Arabian Gulf has the fifth largest population of children and second largest expenditure on children’s clothing and accessories globally. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have among the highest birth rates in the world, while nearly half the estimated 25 million population in Saudi Arabia and Oman is below the age of 14.
“There is no doubt that the market for children’s wear is booming across the Middle East. In the UAE alone; which boasts one of the highest per capita garment consumption (PCC) figures in the world, a significant proportion of the $25 PCC per day, is spent on consumer goods for babies and children," said Director, IIR Exhibitions, Geoffrey Booy. "This partially represents the fact that parents in the Arab world are some of the biggest spenders in the children’s garment industry worldwide."
IIR Exhibitions is the organizer behind MOTEXHA, a bi-annual fashion and textiles trade event in the Middle East. To respond to the growing demand for children’s wear, MOTEXHA Spring 2004 has introduced KidZone, a section for children’s clothing and accessories. "For traders in the Middle East looking to take advantage of a lucrative growth market, KidZone offers an ideal window of opportunity,” added Booy. — (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
