Customers in Bangladesh are more and more switching to conventional quilt quilts, duvets and blankets to remain heat in the course of the coldest winter nights and amid a change in life-style, attracting substantial funding and large enterprise to the section.
About 100 firms, together with a dozen giant firms, have invested closely within the enterprise previously 5 years.
For the newest information, observe The Every day Star’s Google Information channel. With an annual enhance of 15% to 20% within the final 5 years, the market measurement for regionally made quilts, duvets and blankets now sits at Tk 500 crores, in line with trade folks.
Pran-RFL Group, HomeTex, Swan, Apex, Karmo, Bengal and EuroAsia now make the merchandise.
Pran-RFL Group, which forayed into the market in 2016, has thus far invested round Rs 15 crore to arrange manufacturing services only for quilts. It additionally produces foams, mattresses, pillows, child video games and mosquito nets.
Initially beginning on a restricted scale, the corporate is now seeking to make investments additional. Its gross sales are rising greater than 20 p.c yearly.
Banga Constructing Supplies Ltd, an RFL Group firm, has offered 70,000 quilts within the present winter season.
“Presently, nevertheless, we’re unable to provide the merchandise to the market regardless of the rising demand as a result of we don’t have materials to make them,” stated Kazi Rashedul Islam, chief govt of Banga Constructing Supplies.
Previously, these merchandise had been primarily imported from China, however rising demand has inspired native traders to arrange factories. Nonetheless, a big a part of the demand, particularly for the blanket, remains to be coated by imports.
Rashedur Rahim, nationwide gross sales supervisor for Apex Foam, says demand for Chinese language duvets and duvets has skyrocketed previously 4 years.
“Individuals are choosing the merchandise over conventional duvets as the previous are simpler to make use of. You’ll be able to wash a quilt and it lasts longer.”
Some native textile factories are additionally making the merchandise.
Monir Hussain, a resident of the capital’s Agargaon, purchased a quilt on Wednesday at Tk 2,500.
“The quilt may be very gentle however hotter,” she stated.
Abu Raihan, head of company gross sales at Hometex Bangladesh Manufactory, stated quilt gross sales have seen huge progress in Dhaka this winter.
“If we take gross sales throughout the nation under consideration, the share of duvets and duvets might be 50-50.”
He stated a good quantity of quilts are additionally offered in the course of the summer time.
Folks have rushed to retailers for duvets, duvets and blankets in latest days as a result of a significant drop in mercury amid the chilly snap.
A light chilly snap is sweeping a number of districts and should proceed, the Bangladesh Meteorological Division stated yesterday.
Shwapno, the main retail model with 286 retailers in Bangladesh, offered round 53,000 quilts final yr. It has already offered 53,400 duvets this yr, and the winter season is predicted to final at the very least a few months.
“We anticipate a minimal of 50 p.c progress in gross sales this yr,” stated Sabbir Hasan Nasir, chief govt of ACI Logistics, which owns Shwapno.
“There have been nice buyer responses for the reason that begin of winter. Now gross sales are up.”
Demand has skyrocketed by 50 p.c in latest days. The worth of a quilt in Shwapno ranges from Tk1,500 to Tk2,100.
Shwapno sources its merchandise from native suppliers who’ve their very own manufacturing services.
Momtaz Kabir, proprietor of the Makshud Bedding store that makes conventional quilts within the Nilkhet space of the capital, says gross sales of conventional quilts have plummeted as a result of elevated demand for quilts and duvets.
“As well as, a quilt prices 30 p.c greater than a quilt, which has depressed gross sales.”