No Second Chances
 The success or failure of all brands today depends on appealing designs and high quality. In the past, consumers might accept a lower quality garment if the price and styling were right. Today’s consumers are much more discriminating than in the past. If a consumer buys a garment, takes it home, then finds that it pills, torques or does not hold up under multiple washes, he simply won’t buy that brand again. This is the real danger of poor quality cotton.
Poor Quality Is Kiss Of Death
Many consumers are busy and will not bother to take the garment back to the store or to register any type of complaint. They simply won’t buy that brand again, but they will tell their friends. I would call this the “Silent Killer” of brands. A brand might not receive that many complaints or returns. Their sales will decrease, and they will not know why. Consumers today expect quality no matter what price they paid for the product. Poor quality is the kiss of death.
The present situation in the cotton market creates a potential disaster for brands. We are all aware of the cotton shortage and the resulting high prices. Companies from the spinner to the retailer all want ways to hold down prices and keep customers buying their products. Retail sales are challenging in this economy, so no one wants to increase prices. In this market, a reliable cost-effective supply of high quality cotton will help meet the demands of the downstream channels.
Tracking The Trail
Fortunately, Bayer CropScience has a program in place that certifies bales of FiberMax cotton. It is not worth the risk of using non-certified cotton products as there is very little room for error in today’s market. In summary, the importance of fiber quality cannot be emphasized enough in today’s highly competitive retail environment. It is essential that it not be minimized or ignored. Today’s customer demands high quality.
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WHAT CUSTOMERS WANT
