Exclusive Interview with Mr. Michael Towler, Represent TFC Council, Fiji.
Participation in Australian Expo
We are here as the representatives of the textile, clothing and footwear council of Fiji and we are tasked by the government of representing our industry here at this show in Australia. So, that’s the purpose of our participation, we participate here as individual companies but also as a group, representing the TCF Council of Fiji. So the potential here is too see how customers in Australia; our existing customers; but also to see any new customers that want to get products made in Fiji. Fiji is nearby geographical location to Australia, its advantage. But the disadvantage is there is very less raw material available to the manufacturers in Fiji. This is not the first time here as we’ve been part of the sourcing fair here in Australia for a number of years; almost 6 or 7. We consider this as a very good medium for us to come and display our products, and to display the manufacturing opportunities that our individual members have in Fiji.
Market in Australia
The buyer details; most of them are from Melbourne but obviously there is interstate people as well so there are other parts of Australia; New Zealand, South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia. And we see a cross section of most of them are wholesalers, retailers but we don’t see many fashion designers, exporters or manufacturers in this part of the world; they’re mainly buyers. So there are both, a mix of existing clients and new clients. We don’t have details of purchase amounts, quantities and frequency but we are always very confident that this is a great medium for us to come and find new customers. We are all manufacturers in Fiji, who are represented here on this council and we are all exporters to this particular market of Australia. The products that you see displayed here are many and varied work wear sport wear. In my own industry I have life jackets there’s this oilskin wear that you see here and products that are actually made out of that particular product and also there’s a lot of corporate wear so suits and uniforms that are manufactured by some of our individual members. For our strains many and varied up to many hundreds of dollars for a high-end product to down to some of the most sportswear in the low twenty dollars on an item. The markets is here in Australia, New Zealand are the two main markets for us to manufacture and export to. In a promotional methods obviously these shows one of the methods that we do to promote our product, we also use online marketing social media. And we’re also simply going out and to see our customers on a regular basis so that’s how we promote our products. The organizers of International sourcing Expo are very good, I do think that probably this type of shows as popular as they used to be as far as promoting our products but it’s still worthwhile for us to come here and to give the opportunity to new customers and existing customers to come here and to visit us. And of course we will always participate because we see this as an opportunity to come to the market ourselves as an industry not only just as individual manufacturers but as an industry so that’s the reason why we will be back again next year.
Importing from Asian Countries
I think individual manufacturers may purchase some raw material from India but I’m not aware of it myself I mainly import to Fiji the raw material out of Asia so Australia New Zealand Asia Korea but a lot of these people who deal in cotton fabrics in putting out of Pakistan I’m not aware of anybody in I’m not aware of it there may be some who may be importing from India.
ABOUT TCF COUncil, fiji
World clothing demand is increasing and The TCF Council of Fiji is responding. TCF buyers now require Flexible Short Runs, High Quality, Reduced Inventory, Greater Diversity, Skilled Workers for High Fashion, Ethical Treatment of Staff and Fast Delivery. Direct from Fiji, the logistics hub of the South Pacific. Fiji can export anywhere in the world, sea or air. Make move, make it in Fiji is Fiji Mantra. The TCF Council of Fiji is the world leader in responsive and ethical manufacturing. Supplying products to Australia, New Zealand, USA, Europe and more.
Benefits:
- Sophisticated High Minute productivity
- Solid low minute products
- Internationally audited and certified ethical products
- English communications
- State-of-the-art manufacturing facilities
- Superb value pricing
- End-of-line high standards
- 11 member companies with over 6000 employed- 70% female
- Capacity, variety, quality
- Specialized low volume short runs
- Fast turnarounds
