1. family and parenting
2. children

CBI Product Fact Sheet
Children’s Wear in
France
‘Practical Market Insights for Your Product’
This product factsheet provides you with information that is
relevant if you want to enter the French market for children’s
wear.
The French favour stylish classic clothes in modest colours.
This is also reflected in the children’s clothes. French clothing
is known the world over for its high quality and French parents
also consider this as important.
French children have clothes for special occasions. Girls also
often wear dresses and skirts instead of trousers when dressed
casual.
The sales of clothes for girls, babies and toddlers are steady
despite the recession. The middle segment has suffered most
from the recession. The middle and upper price segment have
the most potential for DC exporters.
French parents will increasingly consider it important to buy
ethical and organic clothes.
Product Definition
Children’s wear in France comprises clothing designed for children up to about
14 years old.
The main sectors of the market include girls’ clothing (ages 2 to 14), boys’
clothing (ages 2 to 14), and infants (incl. baby’s) clothing (for under-2 yearolds).
There is no separate product group for children’s wear. Girls’ and boys’ clothes
are included in the adults’ product groups. Girls’ clothes in women’s clothing
product groups and boys’ clothes in men’s clothing product groups. These
product groups are divided in the following categories under the HS codes of
chapter 61 and 62:

Knitted and woven clothing
Product groups:
1.
Trousers and shorts
2.
T-shirts
3.
Shirts and blouses
4.
Jerseys and cardigans
5.
Dresses and skirts
6.
Jackets and coats
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C BI Product Fact Sheet Children’s Wear in France




7.
Suits and ensembles
Body wear
Product groups:
1.
Underwear
2.
Night and indoor wear (pyjamas, nightshirts, bathrobes)
3.
Hosiery (socks, tights)
Sports clothing
Product groups:
1.
Anoraks and ski jackets
2.
Track suits and ski suits (including jogging suits, recreational
wear)
3.
Swimwear
4.
Special sportswear
Babywear: clothing products made for babies and infants up to
the age of two
Product groups:
1.
Baby jackets and coats
2.
Romper suits and stretch suits
3.
Baby vests
4.
Pants
5.
Babywear accessories (napkins, gloves, mittens and mitts)
Fashion accessories
Product groups:
1.
Gloves, mittens & mitts
2.
Neckwear (shawls, scarves)
3.
Carrying products (handbags, shoulder bags, wallets, purses)
4.
Other fashion accessories (handkerchiefs, belts, hats and caps)
In France, like the rest of Europe, children's clothing sizes are based on the
height of the child. But it is also still common to use age as size. The largest size
is 170 (14+) meant for children around 14, but most French brands go up to
size 164 (14).
Until 2 years old, the age sizes in French children’s clothes are in months (mois
in French). 2 years old is 23 mois (months). From 3 years, the sizes are in age.
3 years is 3A (3 Ans (years)). Some brands adapted to the European sizes start
with 2A.
Clothes made especially for the French market tend to be slightly smaller in size
than clothes made for Northern and Western European countries. This is related
to the smaller average height and body posture of French people who, like the
Italians and Spanish, are shorter than people of other European countries. For
an overview, see Table 1 below.
Table 1: Overview of clothing - size conversion children’s wear in France
Clothing - Size Conversion Children’s wear
AGE
European
(Height)
France
M=Mois
A=Ans
France
actual size in
cm
1
80
1.5 23M 2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 6-7 7-8 8-9
86
86 92 98
12M 18M 23M
74
81
9- 10- 11- 12- 1314+
10 11 12 13 14
10 11 11 12 12
134 140 146 152 158 164 170
4 0 6 2 8
2
14+
3A 4A 5A 6A 7A 8A 9A 10A 11A 12A 13A 14A
A
A
86 90 94
10 10 11 12 12
132 138 144 150 156 162 168
2 8 4 0 6
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C BI Product Fact Sheet Children’s Wear in France
Product Specifications
Quality
The main quality specifications for children’s clothes are:
•
Washability (needs to be washed fairly hot without shrinking or fading
colour)
•
Natural materials
French clothing is known the world over for its high quality. Therefore, children’s
clothes made for the French market should be of good quality, which means
sturdy, long lasting, and made of good fabrics (see Materials for more details on
requested materials).
The different quality segments and related market shares for Children’s wear in
France are illustrated below in Table 2:
Table 2: Children’s wear quality segments and market shares in France
Product criteria
Brand names
Fashion criteria
High price
luxury
segment
Market share
10%
Upper middle
price
segment
Market share
25%
Limited collections, made with special
care; sometimes handmade, high
quality materials
Designer / brand name stands for
exclusivity and fashionable clothes
Collections are produced after presale; extra attention to fitting and
accessories
Branded products, good quality
materials, broad range of designs
Burberry, Stella McCartney
kids. Antik Batik kids, Jean
Paul Gaultier, Chloe, Sonia
Rykiel, Lacoste, Louis
Vuitton, Aigle, Baby Dior
Bobine, Baby & Taylor,
Oeuf, Petit Bateau,
Bonpoint, Cacharel,
Catimini
Middle price
segment
Market share
30%
Collections are produced after preDerhy kids, Jacadi, Elle
sale; good quality materials
girl, Du pareil au meme,
Trend-following and large variety in
IKKS, Lili Gaufrette, Little
assortment; branded products
Paul & Joe, Tartine &
Branding vitally important
Chocolat
Produced in larger quantities to lower
Groupe Zannier, Spot,
the price; fancy fashion styles, less
Camaieu Enfant, Comptoir
changes to patterns, fitting
des Cottonniers, La
standardised
Redoute, Quelle, Prenatal
Medium- good fashion base quality
materials
Large quantities- fashion following
Auchan, Kiabi, Carrefour, Les Halles aux
standardised fitting. Two packs
Vetements, Groupe Andre, Leclerc
Highly fashionable collections
Exclusively designed materials and
artworks. Haute couture for kids.
Luxury branding for mini adults
Trend-setting in fashion
Large variety of styles and
materials
Styles and fitting are vitally
important
“Style lab” products in line with
the latest fashion trends. Mini
adult lines- semi- luxury kids lines
Fashion feel and good fitting is
important. Recognizable by brand
name, visible on outside
Low to
middle price
segment
Market share
20%
Discount
segment
Market share
15%
Collections with a view to the
current fashions
Less fashionable, close to trends;
fashion for the right price as key
driver
Fashion following- close to trends
only at cheap cost; price is the
argument
Disclaimer: Company and brand names have been included as examples only and do not necessarily give a complete
overview.
Materials
Children’s clothes sold in France consist mainly of cotton. Cotton can be washed
hot (washability). Even more consumers like the soft and ‘natural’ feel of it.
Conventional cotton can still contain toxic substances, like pesticides, and
chemicals from the used dyes. Biological cotton is used more and more in
children’s clothes in France. Organic cotton has a higher quality than
conventional cotton and is better for the environment . Therefore, this alternative
is more appealing for the growing number of responsible consumers. Another
main reason of the success of organic cotton is that it prevents
oversensitiveness and allergies.
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C BI Product Fact Sheet Children’s Wear in France
Design
The French, including children, are dressed less casual than most other
Europeans. French like to dress their children classic and stylish. For example, it
is less common to wear jeans. Instead, children may wear khakis or slacks of
slightly higher quality. Girls still wear more dresses or skirts than trousers.
The traditional French-striped shirt, usually in navy and white, is still popular.
Comfort is important to French parents, but it is really about fashion. Table 3
below gives an overview of the key fashion trends in French children’s wear for
the period 2013-2014.
Table 3: Key fashion trends in French children’s wear, 2013-2014
Key Motifs
Cool dogs
Peacocks
Moustaches
Polka dots (from small to large)
Leopard and Cheetah spots and
reptile skins, often with a colour
tint
Robots
Colour blocking
Ice cream cones and popsicles
Elephants
Mixed stripes
Chevron stripes
Zigzag stripes
Ikat
Ombre
Key fabrics
Linen
Chiffon
Seersucker
Lace
Printed denim /
Coloured denim
Rainbow effects
Dip-dyes
Geometrics (cube, helix, diamond,
circle, cylinder shape prints)
Key Looks/Influences/Themes
India
Latin America
Mexico
Native American
Victoriana
'60s Modern
Sunset hues
Coral
Turquoise
Lime
Red, white and navy
Orange
Cream
Red with white
Navy with white
Rainbow brights
Madras plaid
Terry and French Terry
Silk
Rayon
Jersey knit and double knit
Twill
Key Colours
All shades of neon
Grey
Key details
Decorative ribbon
Ethnic embroidery
Puffed sleeves
Glitter
Dangling details (tassels,
ribbons, beads, and
pompoms)
Ruffles
Fabric/pattern mixing
Metallic thread
Insets and trim in crochet and
other laces
Banded collars
Novelty buttons
Key Silhouettes
A-line dresses and shift
dresses
Vests
High-waisted pants
Tops and dresses with highlow (uneven) hems
Rompers
Sundresses
Ethnic tunic and smock tops
Source: NASH International
Labelling
In general, the following information will be found on the label in clothes:

Care symbols (see examples on the right)

Composition (Fibre content (percentages of fibres used))

Size

Country of origin (Made in)

Further information, such as eco-labels etc. if applicable (see examples
on the right)
The product information on the label should preferably be in French. Textilespecific labelling requires the inclusion of the fibre content. It is optional to
include origin, care, manufacturer and/or importer information, and size.
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C BI Product Fact Sheet Children’s Wear in France
Care labels
There is no EU-wide obligation to show instructions on how to wash and
maintain textile products. However, many EU retailers voluntarily use care
symbols instead of words.
As long as there is no uniform EU legislation on the matter, it is recommended
to use the following European/international standard: ISO 3758:2012 Textiles Care labelling code using symbols.
Most European countries, including France, use the international care labelling
code GINETEX.
The European trademark GINETEX care labelling system is a voluntary service
offered to the consumers by the textile and apparel industry. To control the
correct application, the care labelling code is protected by an international
trademark. The ownership of this international trademark belongs to GINETEX.
According to GINETEX standards, labels should include (see example on the
right):

general care and warnings

washing

drying

ironing

professional textile care (dry-cleaning)
For all the GINETEX labels, see GINETEX website.
Packaging
Packaging in France needs to meet all EU requirements (see below). These
requirements aim to prevent the production of packaging waste, to promote the
reuse of packaging, and as such to reduce the final disposal of such waste.
Retailers are mostly responsible for the way the products are packed for sale in
shops and can ask suppliers to do this for them.
Each individual garment is wrapped with plastic with a sticker providing
information on brand, size, and kind of garment. Similar items could be packed
in boxes.
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C BI Product Fact Sheet Children’s Wear in France
Images
Legislative requirements
When exporting to the EU, you need to take into account various requirements
regarding labelling, dangerous substances, product safety and liability. Products
that fail to meet the legal requirements are not allowed on the EU market.
Labelling
In order to ensure that consumers are given
accurate information on the fibre composition of
the products they are buying, the EU has
harmonised legislation regarding the names,
composition, and labelling of textile products.
Dangerous substances
The EU has restricted the use of several
chemicals in textile products because they pose
a health risk for consumers. Examples of
restricted substances are: TRIS, TEPA and PBB
(flame retardants), Azo dyes, Nonyl Phenol
Ethoxylates, Dioctyltin (DOT) compounds, and
nickel (e.g. in zippers and buttons).
Product safety and liability
Products placed on the EU market should be safe
when used as intended. The EU has regulated
product safety in the General Product Safety
Directive (GSPD), which applies to all consumer
products marketed in the EU.
The Directive on liability for defective products
provides that companies placing products on the
EU market can be held responsible for damage
caused by defective products.
In principle, your EU buyer can be held
responsible for damage caused by defects to
your products. However, possible claims may be
passed on to suppliers.
If you export clothing intended for children up to
age 14, you have to make sure your products
comply with the European standard on the safety
of children’s clothing. Although the standard is
voluntary, all EU Member States refer to the
Considerations for action

Make sure that your products comply with
the labelling requirements, implying that
you need to indicate the fibre content using
prescribed fibre names.

Refer to the document EU Legislation:
Labelling of Textile Products (Including
Garments) on the CBI website for more
information on the labelling requirements.


To avoid the risk of using restricted
substances, it is advised to keep an up-todate inventory of the chemicals used in your
products.
For more information on the prohibited
substances, their uses, and possible
alternatives, refer to the following
documents:






EU legislation: Azo dyes in textiles
and leather products.
EU legislation: Flame retardants in
textiles.
EU legislation: Nonyl phenols and
ethoxylates.
EU legislation: Nickel in clothing,
jewellery and acc essories.
EU legislation: Organotin
compounds
EU legislation: Phthalates in toys
and childcare articles
See the documents EU legislation: Liability
for defective products , EU legislation:
Product safety (consumer products) and EU
legislation: Safety of children’s clothing for
more information on these requirements.
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C BI Product Fact Sheet Children’s Wear in France
standard in their national legislations. As a
result, children’s clothing that does not comply
with the safety requirements are often
withdrawn from the EU market.
Non-legislative requirements
Sizing
Considerations for action
The sizing of clothes sold on the EU market tends 
As long there is no legislation on sizing, it is
to vary from country to country and even from
recommended to use a recognised standard
store to store. This can be very confusing and
on clothes sizing.
the textile industry in the EU is therefore urging
the EU to lay down legislation on standard sizing.
At the moment, the situation is precarious and it
is unclear whether the EC will start discussions
on the matter.
Depending on your target market (segment),
Sustainability on the rise
certification or otherwise participating in an
Consumers are increasingly aware of the social
initiative addressing sustainability issues can
and environmental circumstances during
give you a competitive advantage. Assess what
production. Consequently, requirement s
is actually interesting and feasible by asking
regarding sustainability and certification are
yourself the following questions:
increasingly important to buyers. In particular,

What is my main market and who are my
social aspects like basic labour rights are major
main clients?
issues in the garments industry.

What is their demand with regard to my
sustainability performance and how may this
Implementing a management system (e.g. ISO
demand change in the future?
14000 on environmental aspects, SA 8000 on

What sustainability initiative is potentially
social conditions or OHSAS 18001 on
the most suitable for me?
occupational health and safety) or using

What do I need to invest to become certified
sustainably produced (e.g. organic) materials is
and what revenues can I expect in return?
often required or may otherwise be a competitive 
What support can I get to become certified
advantage.
(e.g. training)?
Codes of conduct
EU buyers may expect you to comply with their
supplier codes of conduct. This can be the
importer’s own code of conduct or a code of
conduct as a part of an initiative in which the
importer is participating (e.g. BSCI, Fairwear,
and the Clean Clothes Campaign).
In the event that participating in a specific
initiative is not desirable and/or feasible for your
business, assess whether you can still benefit
from the general trend towards sustainability.
You may consider the following step:

Implement practical measures aiming to
avoid or minimize negative sustainability
impacts of your operations. Use the criteria
of certification systems and codes of conduct
of your clients as a source of information
and inspiration.
Refer to the documents Labels and Standards:
Sustainability for Apparel and Management
systems supporting sustainable development for
more information on relevant standards, labels,
and other initiatives.
Consumer labels
Consumer labels are labels used on the final
product to show consumers that the product
they are buying is produced in a socially
responsible or environmentally friendly way. To
be allowed to carry the label, producers must
meet certain standards and are often audited by
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C BI Product Fact Sheet Children’s Wear in France
independent auditors.
Consumer labels can focus on one issue (e.g.
FairTrade for social conditions or the EU Ecolabel
on environmental issues or on social and
environmental issues, such as MADE-BY).
Examples of consumer labels that could be
relevant are: Fair Trade, EU Ecolabel, and GOTS
for organic textile.
Another important label is OEKO-TEX. The
OEKO-TEX Standard consists of three types of
certification for textiles. These address the
effects of textile production processes on
humans and the environment, and the effects of
the textiles themselves, including the chemicals,
on the health and well-being of the consumers.
Trade and Macro-Economic Statistics
Population in France
Of the more than 65 million people living in France, 18.6% (12,192,506
children) are between 0-14 years old. This is shown in Table 4 below.
Table 4: French population in age groups and gender per 1 January 2013
Age
Males
Females
Total
In % total
population
0-1
116,368
110,571
226,939
2.4
2-8
2,911,225
2,785,623
5,696,848
8.7
9-14
2,502,622
2,394,547
4,897,169
7.5
15-24
4,044,029
3,918,260
7,962,289
12.1
25-54
12,667,835
12,996,361
25,664,196
39.1
55-64
3,989,779
4,281,197
8,270,976
12.6
65+
4,836,608
6,659,282
11,495,890
17.5
Total
31,768,630
33,817,227
65,585,857
Source: INSEE, 2013
France has the second highest birth rate in the EU behind Ireland (2.08 children
per woman in 2012 according to Eurostat).
Children’s Wear Market in France
France accounts for 13% (€6.36 billion in 2012) of the European children’s wear
market value. This is shown in Table 5 below.
Table 5: France children’s wear market geography segmentation: € million, 2012
Geography
2012
%
Germany
8,057.3
16.5
United Kingdom
6,823.2
14.0
France
6,362.1
13.0
Italy
6,048.9
12.4
Spain
2,135.8
4.4
Sweden
1,004.7
2.1
Rest of Europe
18,307.2
37.1
Total
48,739.2
100.0
Source: MarketLine, February 2013
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C BI Product Fact Sheet Children’s Wear in France
Aside from a brief period of shallow growth in 2010, the French children’s wear
market has been in continuous decline since 2008. The market is expected to
resume very low growth from 2014, which will continue to the end of the
forecast period in 2017.
The performance of the market is forecast to accelerate, with a compound
annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.3% for the five-year period 2013 - 2017, which
is expected to drive the market to a value of €6.5 billion by the end of 2017.
This is shown in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1: France children’s wear market value: € million, 2008–2017 *
7
6
€ Billion
5
4
3
2
1
0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012* 2013* 2014* 2015* 2016* 2017*
Source: MarketLine, February 2013; * Forecast
There is no separate product group for children’s wear. Girls and boys clothes
are included in the adults’ product groups (HS codes 61 and 62). The total
exported value of apparel goods from France was € 7.3 billion in 2012. The
value of apparel imported to France amounted to € 16 billion in 2012. China was
the biggest apparel exporter to France with a value of € 5.4 billion in 2012. The
top 5 countries that export apparel to France in 2012 are shown in Table 6
below:
Table 6: Top 5 apparel exporting countries to France, 2012* (HS codes 61 and 62)
Exporting country
China
Value of imports (€ thousands)
HS Code 61
HS Code 62
Country totals
2,535,853
2,867,247
5,403,100
Italy
623,178
751,156
1,374,334
Bangladesh
852,273
435,122
1,287,395
Turkey
599,584
414,844
1,014,428
Tunisia
296,300
491,774
788,074
7,766,470
8,237,497
16,003,967
Total imports
(world)
* Forecast
Source: TradeMap, 2013
For further information about trade statistics, see the CBI Tradewatch Apparel.
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C BI Product Fact Sheet Children’s Wear in France
Market Trends
Most important developments
Considerations for action
Higher
quality
demand
drives
French
consumers to higher segments
 French customers are also becoming more 
quality-conscious and many medium- to highend products (including children’s wear) have
seen sales increases which reflect this.
 The high-end segment will stay popular among 
the ‘rich and famous’. There will be little room
for launches of high-value collections of
children’s wear in the near future. There might
be more potential in the long term, when the
economy will recover.
 With the rise of luxury brands, a new niche has 
been c reated to design mini-adult collections.
All high-end luxury brands now offer collections
for kids, which are extremely successful in
France. The segment directly below indicated as
upper-middle segment is growing with new
brands announced each season. The French still
have a focus on knitwear for children and aim
for a less casual look and more fashion city
formal in the way they dress their children.
Quality and comfort are important but the key
drivers are fashion- and style elements.
Therefore, we see a lot of high-street fashion
influences translated into mini-adult collections.
Special occasion and traditional clothes will
always be popular
 In France, consumers, including children, 
change clothes two to three times a day
depending on the occasion. Children in France
have separate clothes for special occasions.
Young girls are expected to wear dresses or 
skirts on special occasions.
 Classic clothes that are seasonless in neutral
colours are popular.
 The traditional French striped shirt, usually in
navy and white, will stay popular.
Organic
clothing
becomes
increasingly
important
 Large retail chains (especially H&M and Zara) 
are trendsetters in organic clothing for children.
Other smaller designers and retailers are
following.
The
French market
leader in 
ecological and ethically produced clothes for
baby’s and women is EKYOG. Committed to
respecting ethical working conditions.
 It is expected that French parents will
increasingly consider it important to buy
organic clothes, especially the ones that can
Trade up to a higher segment with a good
quality product. Be creative.
The middle price and upper price segment
have most potential for DC exporters.
Try to work for the design houses by
designing a special item or a whole
collection for e.g. girls that stands out with
design and quality.
Formal occasion clothes will always have
potential, because they are seasonless and
timeless.
Look at the collections of the popular
brands to get ideas on what is popular in
France. Popular brands are for example
Groupe
Zannier:
Absorba,
Alphabet,
Catimini, Chipie, IKKS, jeanbourget, Kenzo,
Levi Strauss, Lili Gaufrette, Little Marc
Jacobs, Z, and 3 Pommes. Groupe Okaïdi:
Okaïdi
,
Obaïbi,
Vibel,
Véronique
Delachaud, Jacadi, and Oxybul éveil et
jeux.
Others are: Bonton, Du Pareil au
même, H&M, Orchestra, NafNaf, Petit
Bateau.
Offer quality organic for affordable prices
for the middle segment or a special
collection for the upper-middle segment.
Make sure your product is made CSRcompliant
(the
whole
process)
and
communicate about that.
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C BI Product Fact Sheet Children’s Wear in France
afford the middle-high segment prices.
School wear is still worn in many French
schools
 Many schools in France still require their 
students to wear uniforms. These uniforms vary
from very simple ensembles of a skirt and
blouse or slacks and a polo shirt to uniforms
that consist of a blazer and skirt or slacks and
dress
shoes.
Most
schools, even more
progressive schools without uniforms, usually
have a dress code of some kind that enforces
conservative dressing, forbidding shirts that are
too low-cut or skirts that are too high.
Look into opportunities in school wear, as
there is a demand for more modern
clothes.
For further information on market trends, see the CBI Trendmapping Apparel.
Market Channels & Segments
Children’s wear in France has become increasingly polarised and has pushed the
market in opposing directions. On the one hand, cautious spending by
consumers provided a boost for the low and middle-low segment. On the other
hand, intense competition at the value end pushed children’s wear specialists
upmarket. This caused a struggle in the mid-market segment. The mid-market
specialists had to implement new initiatives to survive.
The French children’s wear market is increasingly concentrated, with
supermarkets, hypermarkets, and clothing chains growing their market share at
the expense of the independents. Figure 2 provides an overview of the Market
channels for the EU/EFTA children’s wear market in France.
Figure 2: Market channels EU/EFTA children’s wear market in France
Independent multi
brand stores
Specialised clothing
chains
Developing
Country
European
market
Customers
Department stores
Developing
Country
exporters
Hyper/supermarkets
Mass market retail
Importers/
Wholesaler/
distributors
Retailers
Retailers
Agents/
Brokers/
Buying
Houses
Popular stores
Mail-order
companies
European
manufacturers
Main distribution flow
Secondary distribution flow
Sales generated through clothing, footwear, sportswear, and accessories
retailers are expected to be the most lucrative for the French children’s wear
market in 2012, with total revenues of €3.2 billion, equivalent to 49.5% of the
Source : C BI Market Information Database • UR L: www.cbi.e u • C ontact: mark etinfo@cbi.eu • www.cbi.e u/disclaimer
Online
Street markets
(stalls)
C BI Product Fact Sheet Children’s Wear in France
market's overall value. Sales through discount, variety, and general
merchandise retailers will generate revenues of €1.4 billion in 2012, equating
22.8% of the market's aggregate revenues.
Table 7: Change in turnover French children apparel per retail channel in % 2013
Channel
Independent
multi brand
stores
January-1.9
April 2013
Cumulative
Total clothes
-1.6
Children’s
+0.7
clothes April
2013
Total clothes
+3.3
Source: IFM, May 2013
Specialised
chains
Mass
market
retail
Department
stores
Popular
stores
-5.5
-2.6
-3.2
-8.5
-1.6
-2.1
-4.0
+22.2
-1.4
+16.0
+1.1
+16.2
+13.0
Online
TOTAL
-7.1
Hyperand
supermarkets
-9.8
-8.5
+11.4
+3.4
+13.4
-9.8
-4.9
-2.5
+7.8
+8.3
+13.0
-1.2
+5.7
For more insights on market channels and segments and considerations for
actions, see the CBI Market Channels and Segments Apparel.
Market Competitiveness
The competition in the French Children’s wear industry is analysed below.
Figure 3: Competitive forces in the French Children’s wear industry
Buyer power
Supplier power
Substitutes
Degree of rivalry
New entrants
Buyer power: moderate
The performance of the children’s wear market has been considerably more
resilient than that of both the women’s wear and men’s wear markets during the
difficult economic climate. The product is a necessity and is something that must
be bought on a regular basis due to child growth.
The wide variety of potential customers, coupled with factors such as negligible
switching costs and the position of retailers at the end of the value chain, results
in a moderate degree of buyer power in the market.
Degree of rivalry: moderate
Difficult economic conditions have contributed to a decline in the market, further
intensifying rivalry. Low switching costs and a large number of players
contribute to a moderate degree of rivalry.
Source : C BI Market Information Database • UR L: www.cbi.e u • C ontact: mark etinfo@cbi.eu • www.cbi.e u/disclaimer
-5.2
C BI Product Fact Sheet Children’s Wear in France
The French children’s wear market is becoming more concentrated, with
supermarkets, hypermarkets, and clothing chains increasing their market share
(see Market Channels & Segments).
Some retailers in this market are diversified, but many players retain a strong
emphasis on children’s wear, which intensifies rivalry, as they are very reliant on
this market. In the children’s wear market, a shift is taking place to medium to
high-end products, because of the demand of consumers for quality products.
This may increase rivalry as players attempt to trade up.
New entrants: high
Entry to the children’s wear market is possible on a small scale and capital
requirements are low enough for individuals to enter. Easy access to suppliers
and distribution networks further encourage new entrants.
Brand power is less important in children’s wear than in adult apparel, which
also increases the likelihood of new entrants. However, the economic situation
may discourage new entrants.
Substitutes: weak
Substitutes for the children’s wear market include buying direct ly from
manufacturers, which is facilitated by the growth of online sales. Homemade and
custom-made (couture) clothing are also niche alternatives to the retail of
ready-to-wear clothes.
Supplier power: moderate
Suppliers experience a moderate degree of power as favourable factors such as
a lack of substitute inputs play against low switching costs for retailers. As
international trade liberalises, supplier power in the global market is decreased
through competition from manufacturers in low-wage regions. Switching costs
for retailers are not very high. Suppliers could be weakened by their lack of
diversity, which makes the market important to their business.
For more insights on market competiveness and considerations for actions, see
the CBI Competitiveness Apparel.
Useful Sources






The Union of Textile Industries (UIT): http://www.textile.fr/en
Union Française des Industries de l’Habillement (UFIH):
http://www.lamodefrancaise.org/fr/index.ht ml
Institut Français de la Mode (IFM): http://www.ifm-paris.com
L'Institut Français de l'habillement et du textile (IFTH):
http://www.ifth.org
UbiFrance: http://www.ubifrance.fr
International Chamber of Commerce France: http://www.icc france.fr
Trade Fairs




ApparelSourcing Paris: International trade fair in c lothing and
fashion accessories for men, women, and children, held twice a
year in February and September.
Indigo Fashion Paris: International trade show organised twice a
year in February and September at which 150 to 180 international
studios present their collections for men, women and children.
Playtime Paris: Yearly international trade show dedicated to the
children's clothes and maternity wear.
KIDEXPO: Large apparel trade fair in Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.
Source : C BI Market Information Database • UR L: www.cbi.e u • C ontact: mark etinfo@cbi.eu • www.cbi.e u/disclaimer
C BI Product Fact Sheet Children’s Wear in France
This survey was compiled for CBI by Global Intelligence Alliance
in collaboration with CBI sector expert Dhyana van der Pols.
Disclaimer CBI market information tools:
http://www.cbi.eu/disclaimer
Source : C BI Market Information Database • UR L: www.cbi.e u • C ontact: mark etinfo@cbi.eu • www.cbi.e u/disclaimer