Lately, private label products have made a tremendous impact on the U.S. market, affecting almost everyone, from producers to retailers to consumers. Private label products are products whose name or brand solely belongs to a specific retailer (e.g. Wal-Mart and Marks & Spencer). Let's say that you're in a grocery store. At first you see all those gourmet sandwiches with brands that have long been familiar to you. Then you go to Marks & Spencer and lo and behold, now they're selling the same type of sandwiches too!
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Private label products have grown significantly in Europe, especially in the Western half, and now it's making its mark in the United States. Private labels can be divided into sub groups: store brands are products where the retailer's name is a strong factor in its packaging and marketing aspects; store sub-brands are products whose connection to the retailer is minimal; umbrella branding is a strategy where a retailer uses only one private label for different product categories and finally there are individual brands in which one private label is accorded to one product type.
The advantages are of course numerous, to all key persons involved. For the retailer, one of the most obvious pros would be the increase in sales. And since it's their own private label, the retailer then has the freedom to create its own marketing strategy, have more control over its stock inventory and possibly use it also to gain a more positive image to the public. And with a positive image, this would of course lead to stronger customer loyalty. Naturally, having a private label for one's products would mean investing a lot of money so the retailer must be sure that it has the capital needed for such a venture. Secondly, most people still view private label products as something synonymous to lower quality products so this is another issue that the retailer must try to combat as they launch their new line.
For producers and suppliers, the advantages of producing private label products for a retail company is less visible but still present, nonetheless. For one, they get rid of most of the entry barriers a producer usually faces as they try entering a market because they're supplying directly to the retailer itself. Secondly, for cash-strapped suppliers, manufacturing private label products will let them enter the bigger and higher end markets. The downside of all these of course is when the product does not perform as expected. Low profit could then affect the relationship between the supplier and retailer.
For the consumer, the advantages and disadvantages are almost equal. Most private label products are cheaper than branded products. This would, of Marks & Spencer Near Me course, translate to lower expenses for consumers, something that everyone would no doubt welcome. But if the quality of the product is sub-standard, as some private label products are, maybe you're not getting the best of the deal as you have originally thought.
At the end, everything comes down to quality. Since price-wise, private label products have the upper hand, the only ace branded products have in their sleeves would be a more superior quality. But if a private label product is backed by a reliable retailing company, the quality is usually equal to those that are branded. All one has to do is to CHOOSE WISELY.
For ultra comfort, durability and style forget wearing clothes made with cheap synthetic materials and instead opt for clothing made with the plethora of the natural fabrics that are available. Listed below are a range of natural fibres and the advantages they have over those that are manmade.
Cotton
The most popular material in the world, used to make a range of clothing from Sari's in India to underwear in Marks &Spencer, it is known that man has made cotton into fabric since 3000BC. Cotton is grows on plants which are then harvested and manufactured using water. It's plentiful, cheap and can be as delicate as a handkerchief or as tough as denim.
Wool
Straight off the back of a sheep or goat (it keeps them warm in winter and cool in summer) wool is an ideal fabric allowing your skin breathe, so perfect in its many guises to wear every season from summer to winter.
From the luxury of angora sweaters and cashmere pashmini to the warmth of grannies knitted woolen socks, wool is financially accessible to all and perennially popular.
Silk
Expensive and delicate, but oh so soft, silk is the supreme of natural fabric, silk is made as nature intended by silk worms, with most of it manufactured in China. Expensive because of the lengthy process of its manufacture silk remains primarily the property of the wealthy.
Hemp
Hemp can be used to make a wide range of products from paper to cosmetics. It is a tough fabric which can sometimes be a little rough on more delicate skin, but its weave and strength has bonuses, it lasts a long time and has the added advantage as the kind of material that requires little or no ironing.
Bamboo
Like hemp bamboo can be manufactured into a wide range of products from paper to furniture. It is durable and probably one of the softest of natural fibres once manufactured into fabric. As strong as cotton but as soft as silk, it is ideal for baby and children's clothing, who need hardwearing clothing that allows delicate skin to thrive without restricting or damaging it.
Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth, so it is hugely sustainable and probably the most environmentally friendly of the natural fabrics to produce en masse.
So, natural fabrics are varied and can be appropriate for whoever needs to wear them, however they want to wear them.
Forget manmade Lycra©, nylon and acrylic which can itch and scratch your skin and prevent it from breathing, instead opt for natural fabric which allows your skin to breathe and keeps you warm in winter or cool in summer, is durable, often inexpensive and is natural and environmentally friendly.