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I used the overseas business risk sector go the gov.uk website to research Guatemala for my emerging sourcing country to include in my group sourcing strategy. It states on the government website that apparel is the strongest industrial sector in Guatemala and that 'Several renowned clothing brands produce their merchandise in the country because of the advantages of the market (i.e. regional rules of origin through FTAs, geographic location, and fiscal incentives)'. For this reason, I believe Guatemala would be a good country to focus on in my sourcing strategy and one that wouldn't usually be considered for manufacturing and sourcing.

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1. General overview

Guatemala is the largest economy in Central America, with a GDP of USD 77.6 billion (2020); a country with the steadiest growth rate in Latin America for three decades. Guatemala's economy experienced one of the smallest GDP contractions in 2020 in the region (-1.5%) following onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The country is also the most populous in the region: 17.9m inhabitants with a GDP per capita of USD 4,317.50. It has a major geographical advantage in its access to Mexico and, via NAFTA, the US and Canada. Longer term, Guatemala has the potential to be a major hub of supply chain companies, particularly in light of the customs union between Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

Guatemala is heavily reliant on traditional exports such as coffee, rendering the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in both international prices and weather conditions. Manufacturing is centred on light assembly and food processing. Tourism and the export of textiles and non-traditional agricultural products such as fruit and cut flowers are increasingly important.

British companies are under-represented in Guatemala compared with other European partners. A British-Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce was established in 2018 to help redress that balance.

Guatemala won its independence from Spain in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, a protracted civil war pitted the urban elite, supported by the US, against guerrillas in the rural communities, supported by the Soviet Union. The conflict left more than 200,000 dead and ended with a peace agreement in 1996. Since then, Guatemala has pursued macroeconomic stability with reforms that have attracted foreign investment, including successful privatisation plans.

Guatemala gained an international reputation for the fight against corruption with many senior figures, including former presidents facing corruption charges. As public protests against corruption intensified in 2015, a political newcomer, Jimmy Morales (a former TV comedian) was elected President on the ticket of "neither corrupt nor a thief." He began his four-year term as president in early 2016 but did not deliver on his promises and managed to expel the UN backed anti-corruption commission (CICIG) ). Guatemala held elections in 2019, welcoming a new right-wing government in January 2020. The current administration has been surrounded by corruption scandals and threats to rule of law. The government continues to promote a regressive agenda concerning human rights, which has damaged the work of civil society groups and increased the vulnerability of human rights defenders, journalists, women, children, and LGBT+ people.

3. Economics

World Bank data shows that the economy grew by 3.37% in 2018, 3.8% in 2019 and -1.5% in 2020. GDP growth for 2021 was 7.5%, the highest economic growth in forty years, according to Guatemalan Central Bank. Despite the growth of the economy, inequality remains a challenge, with 61% (official 2017 figures) of the total population living in poverty. The unemployment rate was 4.6% in 2020; however, informal economic activity accounts for at least 70% of the workforce, with less than 30% of workers fully covered by social security regulations.

Moreover, the minimum wage for those in the formal economy is around USD 400 per month (2021), which is not enough to cover basket of goods (i.e. rent, food, clothes, health, communications, transport, etc.), which is valued at USD 800. Inflationary pressures are likely to have an increasing effect in the coming years as food and oil prices continue to rise. Inflation increased from 3.2% in 2020 to 4.8% in 2021.

Guatemala has shifted from being a raw materials and traditional agriculture commodities exporter, including sugar, coffee, bovine meat, cardamom, bananas, etc. (25%), to become one of the most diversified exporters in Latin America selling value-added non-traditional products (75%), including textile/apparel and light manufacturing, to over 140 countries in the world. Total exports in 2021 were USD 13.3bn, increasing 22.5% compared to 2020.

The country remains vulnerable to external shocks, largely because of its over-dependence on the US economy. Any economic slowdown in the US, Guatemala's principal trading partner, will reduce demand for exports, putting further pressure on a government already struggling to finance additional food and fuel imports. The country is also heavily reliant on remittances from Guatemalan citizens living in the US. In 2021, remittances from the US were around USD15.3bnm, a 34.8% increase from 2020, accounting for approximately 19% of GDP.

Guatemala has an open investment regime that guarantees national treatment for foreign investment which is governed by the Foreign Investment Act. According to this act, impositions of investment-related measures that might have distorting effects are prohibited, as well as any imposition of any performance requirement as condition for foreign investment. Also, foreign investors are allowed to participate in almost all economic activities, without any quantitative limitations. The only restrictions are the ones established in the country's Constitution, for example the exploitation of forestry or maritime resources.

Although the government hopes to expand the energy and extractive sectors, these remain relatively under-developed. Much needed foreign investment remains low by regional standards as companies continue to be deterred by endemic corruption and the country's poor security outlook. According to data from Guatemalan Central Bank (Banguat), the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2020 was USD 905.5m, a slight decrease on the USD 974.7m received in 2019. In September 2021, FDI accounted USD 821.5m.

Despite decades of steady growth between 2-4%, Guatemala faces challenges to boost a robust and inclusive economic growth. In addition to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, Guatemala's business climate has been negatively affected by the government's fight against corruption, which over time will improve the business climate but immediately it is causing a phase of uncertainty for business and investments. However, the government is implementing tools to facilitate doing business in the country. These include reducing time/costs to set up a business, implementing online systems to open a business, facilitating credit, working on regional integration, among others.

More key economic and development data can be found in the FCDO Economic Factsheets .

3.1 Trade and investment between the UK and Guatemala

Trade between Guatemala and the UK has been increasing in recent years, especially since 2013 following the European Union and Central America Association Agreement (EUCAAA). From 1st January 2021, trade relations with Guatemala are based on the UK-Central America Association Agreement ( read more information). Total trade in goods and services (i.e. exports plus imports) between October 2020 and September 2021 was £188m.

UK exports to Guatemala amounted to £62m, while UK imports from Guatemala were £126m. More details on the bilateral trade with Guatemala and latest trade and investment figures can be found in the Trade and Investment Factsheets .

3.2 Potentialities of the market

With its geographical location, in the longer run, Guatemala has the potential to be a major hub of supply chain companies, in particular around automotive and advanced manufacturing (sectors of strength in the UK). However, the following sectors with most potential for UK companies at the moment are shown below.

Infrastructure

Public investment in infrastructure is one of the priorities of the government and there are opportunities in urban planning, modernization of ports and airports, creation of smart cities, public transport, construction of highways, others; all areas of British expertise.

Energy

The country is the leading electricity exporter in Central America and has natural resources that can be used for energy generation (one of the largest British investments is in this sector: USD 900m). Nevertheless, this sector has challenges due to human rights and environmental issues and lack of proper legal framework for the creation of clean energy projects.

Food/beverages

British products are in high demand by local consumers because of their high-quality reputation. Goods in this sector are starting to have more presence in regular supermarkets; in particular alcoholic beverages being the second-most exported goods to Guatemala (i.e. whisky, gin).

Apparel

The strongest industrial sector in Guatemala; it represents 8.9% of GDP. Several renowned clothing brands produce their merchandise in the country because of the advantages of the market (i.e. regional rules of origin through FTAs, geographic location, and fiscal incentives). Guatemalan stakeholders have shown interest in representing UK brands locally.

Technology

The UK's reputation in technology creates a demand to understand best practices and acquire software and hardware in order to implement it in a range of sectors (from security and justice to agribusiness). As an example, government institutions and local companies look to the UK in this sector.

Public-Private Partnerships

Despite national and international efforts to push PPPs in Guatemala, these are is still in the early stages of PPPs, since they have not implemented any such projects yet. Nevertheless, there are seven upcoming projects using PPPs which represent opportunities related to consultancies, advisors, auditors, investors, lenders, developers, among others.

Those seven projects are:

a state administrative centre

two highways

metropolitan underground

inter-modal dry port

modernisation of the national airport

a city-rail.

See more in private and public partnerships.

The British Government has been actively working with Guatemala to help it develop its PPP model and to share UK expertise.

Education: More information on this sector is included in services and education.

3.3 Tax and customs

Tax laws in Guatemala are based on the territoriality principle. Only Guatemala-sourced income is subject to tax and therefore Guatemalan law does not provide relief for foreign income taxes paid.

These are the key taxes in the country:

companies are subject to income tax at a rate of 25% on net taxable income

VAT is payable on both domestic and imported goods and services; a standard rate of 12% applies

a specific calculation of withholding tax, at rates ranging from 5% up to 15%, exists for income from entities not residing in the country and acting with or without a permanent establishment

Guatemala also imposes internal taxes on country-wide distribution of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, cement and petrol-based fuels.

Three incentive programmes operate in Guatemala based on the exemption of import tax, income tax and VAT. These programmes are export and drawback activities (Promotion and Development of Exports and Textile/Garments Activity Law (Decree 29-89)); free-trade zones (Free Trade Zones Law (Decree 65-89)); and, investment in renewable energy sources. The only areas on which the first two apply are textiles and clothing and contact centres providers.

Since the entry into force of the customs union between Guatemala and Honduras, authorities of both countries are present in each customs office at the border in order to facilitate the mobilization of goods.

Customs Union between Guatemala and Honduras

The Customs Union between Guatemala and Honduras entered into force in June 2017; and in August 2018, El Salvador officially joined. This created a single customs territory of 242km2 and 34.8 million inhabitants; figures that represent more than 68% of Central America, including 69.4% of regional trade and 50.2% of regional GDP. This union covers free transit of more than 75% of trade, by accelerating mobilization of more than 95% of goods at the border with the use of a document for electronic transfer and payment of taxes in real time (FYDUCA).

This customs union only covers goods and 38 products are excluded. Among these are alcoholic beverages, vehicles, living animals, chemicals, dairy, tobacco, cement, others. The excluded products would use the regular customs documents and would have to go through the regular line at customs; whilst included products go through a special line and only use FYDUCA.

Free transit of natural persons is not allowed yet.

Since the entry into force of the customs union, authorities of the three countries are present at customs offices at the respective borders in order to facilitate the mobilization of goods.

3.4 Services: education

Facts and strengths of the market

out of approximately 16 million inhabitants, 70% are under 30 years old

approximately 6 million inhabitants constitute the economically active population (15 years or older)

Guatemala is ranked as a country with low English proficiency according to the English Proficiency Index. However, English proficiency is high among young and urban generations

approximately 82% of the population aged 15 and over are able to read and write

Guatemala has one public and 14 private universities

UK education offer in the country

There are opportunities to further engage and strengthen the UK's education offer in the country. So far one school has been accredited as a Cambridge International School and five schools work with Cambridge English to accredit their English programme. The IELTS exam and other Cambridge recognized certificates are locally offered by Oxford Language Center. Pearson Education is also active in the country. The British Council currently does not have an active presence in the country.

BPO sector

The BPO sector (Business Process Outsourcing) employs around 45,000 people in Guatemala. This sector has matured by accumulating over 10 years of experience. BPOs offer a wide range of services such as customer service, telemarketing, collections, data feeding and outsourcing of financial and administrative services. Leading multinational companies such as EGS, [24]/7, Allied Global, Telus International, Capgemini, Genpact and Xerox are situated in the country.

Guatemala has developed several incentives to attract foreign investment to this sector. Some examples are the Promotion and Development of Exports and Textile/Garments Activity Law (Decree 29-89) and Free Trade Zones Law (Decree 65-89). For instance, Decree 65-89 establishes that by locating a service company in an existing free trade zone, it can enjoy exoneration of customs duties on machinery, equipment, tools and others needed to carry out its activities within the free trade zone; value added tax (VAT); and income tax (for 10 years from its authorization).

In 2018, a 12% decrease in the sector was reported. Some of the factors attributing to the decrease include: lack of sufficient English skills in young population and lack of certainty when investing, particularly on the refund of the Value Added Tax (VAT).

Technical education

The Guatemalan labour market is increasingly requiring higher aptitudes and competencies to undertake jobs. Due to socioeconomic factors, limited access to secondary education, rural/ urban divide, and gender barriers, many young Guatemalans are unable to access higher education. Thus, strengthening technical education and diversifying its offer has become a local priority.

Established in 1972 INTECAP is the governing body of vocational training in Guatemala. USAC, Guatemala's public university and other private universities also offer technical education degrees.

Technical education providers are keen to offer internationally recognized certifications to their students. Demand to develop technical skills is increasing in areas such as: agriculture, hospitality and tourism, cuisine, programming, 3D animation, handling of industrial machinery, electricity, and maintenance.

Opportunities and challenges

There are other opportunities to explore in the education/ English language sector in the country. For instance, English for business, teaching methodologies and development of specific course material. Within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are opportunities for the UK to share expertise in instructional design, teacher training and development of distance learning platforms.

There are also a number of private schools and universities in Guatemala who could establish partnerships with international education providers for their students to improve English language skills and immerse in a foreign culture. UK institutions and their quality of education are highly regarded and recognized.

There are several challenges in the education sector to take into consideration. One of them is the strong competition with other English language providers. Guatemala has closer cultural and commercial affinity with the United States in comparison to the UK. The BPO sector also favours developing in house skills and focusing voice coaching on American clients.

Regarding legal barriers, public entities are unable to contract services over a certain amount without having to open a bidding process.They are unable to contract foreign companies without a legal registration in the country unless they are unique providers of a service. Thus, on most occasions UK education providers must seek and establish local partnerships to take forward such opportunities or opt to undertake a local registration process (see further details in the regulatory environment).

3.5 Private-Public Partnerships

Guatemala has a Law of Partnerships for Economic Infrastructure Development (Decree No.16-2010) which regulates public-private partnerships projects focused on improving the infrastructure sector in the country in order to boost its economic potential. This law also created the National Agency for Partnerships for Economic Infrastructure Development (ANADIE), a decentralized body responsible for the implementation and delivery of PPP projects in order to improve the country's competitiveness.

It is worth mentioning that all projects undertaken under this law have to be focused on the creation, construction, development, utilization, exploitation, maintenance, modernization and expansion of infrastructure (ie highways, roads, ports, airports, railways) and projects of generation, transmission and sale of electricity.

In summary, the government identifies a need in the infrastructure sector, ANADIE designs the project and conducts the tender for each stage (ie pre-feasibility studies, pre-qualification of contractors, etc.), the Ministry of Finance conducts a study regarding the budgetary and financial impact of the project which has to be approved by the Ministry before the PPP tender is opened.

After ANADIE has conducted the tender and an implementer has been granted the PPP contract, the National Congress has to approve such contract. Once the contract is approved by Congress, it becomes law and thus it gives certainty to investors that the conditions of the contract won't change arbitrarily.

Nevertheless, since the entry into force of this law (2010), no project has been implemented. This is mainly due to political challenges i.e changes of government officials; lack of skilled labour (PPP is relatively new and government officials are looking to countries like the UK to acquire best practices) and bureaucratic processes.

There is also the stigma in some sectors (such as civil society) that perceive PPPs as an unacceptable way to implement public infrastructure projects because the private sector is involved. This stigma is based on the corruption schemes that have come to light in past years.

In 2020, ANADIE proposed several reforms to the PPP Law as a way of speeding project approval by Congress and to include more sectors in the PPP Law: education and water. The Reform to the Law is still being discussed and is pending approval by Congress. In 2021, the first PPP for a toll highway was approved by Congress.

One of the main requirements of Guatemala is the implementation of basic infrastructure and the use of PPPs seems a good way to do it. That is why other stakeholders, like the Inter-American Development Bank are providing funds for institutional and regulatory framework strengthening; capacity and awareness building; and pipeline development support.

The National Agency (ANADIE) has identified 7 infrastructure projects, ranging from USD 80m to USD 770m:

3.6 Global trade and international engagement

Guatemala has an open trade regime and free trade agreements have become an increasingly important part of the country's trade policy. Guatemala has been a member of the WTO since July 1995 and has signed more than 12 trade and commercial agreements (see table below) providing preferential access to over 40 trade partners, including the UK. Its largest trading partners are the United States; other Central American countries; Mexico and the EU.

Guatemala is very active in the multilateral trade system through the WTO. It is member of six groups of negotiations, including the Small and Vulnerable Economies and Cairns Group and has ratified the latest multilateral trade agreement: Trade Facilitation Agreement. Moreover, it has 17 bilateral investment treaties which support the protection and promotion of investment with such commercial partners.

Agreements in force

Central American Integration

Association Agreement between the European Union and Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama)

Association Agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama)

FTA Central America - Mexico (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua )

FTA with Taiwan

FTA Northern Triangle - Colombia (El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras)

FTA DR-CAFTA (Central America - Dominican Republic - United States)

FTA Central America - Panama (Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua)

FTA Central America - Chile (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua)

FTA Central America - Dominican Republic (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua)

Preferential Trade Agreement with Ecuador

Preferential Trade Agreement with Belize

Preferential Trade Agreement with Venezuela

Agreements negotiated but not in force yet

FTA with Peru

FTA with EFTA countries

Preferential Trade Agreement Trinidad and Tobago

Agreements being negotiated

In addition, Guatemala is part of the main international agreements of intellectual property, including its membership of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) since 1983 and has been improving its legislation to strengthen intellectual property rights (IPRs) in the last few years. The last improvement was done through the Industrial Property Law, which introduced special forms of protection for geographical indications and appellations of origin in Guatemala.

However, the protection of IPRs only applies in Guatemala, meaning that the owner of such rights may not prevent the imports of products being lawfully marketed and purchased in another country. Hence, trademarks, copyrights, patents, industrial designs, and others have to be properly registered under Guatemalan regulations. The registration has to be done through the National Intellectual Property Registry; the registration process of trademarks usually takes between 5 to 6 months, while for patents up to 4 to 5 years.

Even though IPR legislation exists, enforcement has been inconsistent; for example there have been several cases pursued, specifically for violation of copyrights (music, movies, software) and trademarks (mostly for pharmaceutical and food/beverages). Additionally, the registration process is not particularly efficient due to bureaucracy issues.

4. Business and Human Rights (BHR)

Historically, Guatemala has maintained an open and welcoming posture to international human rights agreements. The country has ratified and supported numerous resolutions. However, in practice it continues to face implementation difficulties, particularly with those related to recognizing economic, social and cultural rights (see World Report (2022): Guatemala's Human Rights ). Widespread poverty and a large informal sector exacerbate existing implementation challenges.

Currently there is no National Action Plan (NAP) to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Nevertheless, the Presidential Commission for Human Rights will lead on the development of the Business and Human Rights National Action Plan, however, no details have been shared nor there is a clear timelinee

Recently there has been a push from civil society and the private sector to place Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights on the national agenda. The Centre for Social Responsibility Action in Guatemala CENTRARSE and the Learning Institute for Sustainable Development (IEPADES) have been leading this effort. Several local companies especially in the agro industry sector have adopted the voluntary principles.

4.1 Indigenous groups and investment projects

The most prominent vulnerable groups in Guatemala are indigenous people, women and children. According to the most recent census (2019) Indigenous people represent 41.7% of the population, however the UN estimates the percentage to be higher at 60%. The Peace Accords signed between 1991 and 1996 marked the end of 35 years of civil war. The Identity and Indigenous Rights Accord (1995) in particular recognized the identity of different indigenous groups and expressed the State's commitment to adopt a series of measures to eradicate oppression and discrimination.

In 1997 Guatemala ratified ILO Convention 169. The Convention recognizes that due to different historical factors, indigenous and tribal groups have been unable to exercise their fundamental human rights to the same degree as the rest of the population and that governments should assume responsibility to ensure that indigenous and tribal groups are able to exercise, under equal conditions, the rights and opportunities available to the rest of the population under local laws.

The Convention also establishes that the State should consult indigenous groups on all administrative or legal measures which could directly affect them. This includes but it is not limited to coordinating consultation processes between indigenous groups and companies looking to establish operations in their territories.

In addition to affecting indigenous groups, the consultation process is also a problem which affects non-indigenous communities. Currently, there is no consultation law except for an operation guide which outlines the steps to correctly undertake consultation processes.

Understanding the complexity of social conflicts in Guatemala is challenging. In some instances, social conflicts have escalated resulting in the suspension or closing of different projects. The cases of San Rafael Las Flores Silver Mine and Oxec Hydroelectric discussed below are two illustrative examples.

San Rafael Las Flores Silver Mine now Mina El Escobal

Since the beginning of this project in the municipality of San Rafael Las Flores, Santa Rosa, some local communities have fiercely resisted Tahoe Resources' mining activities based on environmental arguments and lack of consultation with indigenous populations, particularly the Xinca. However, there have also been local communities who throughout the years have been vocal supporters of the mine. The company has also undertaken corporate social responsibility activities to include programmes to address malnutrition, education, vocational training and environmental concerns, to name a few.

Prior to granting the extraction licence to Tahoe Resources, the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) did not undertake any community consultations. This was due to national registries not indicating the existence of any indigenous community in the area. The mine complied with all legal requirements and began its operations in 2014 followed by rising tensions.

In 2017 the Supreme Court of Justice suspended the company's mining licence but later overturned the measure requiring it to undertake a consultation as established in the ILO Convention 169. Although the company tried to resume operations, constant blockades and demonstrations prevented them from operating.

A campaign group presented an appeal to the Constitutional Court (CC), suspending again mining activities. In October 2017, the CC made a public visit to the mine and by law it was mandated to pronounce a definitive resolution to the case within the following five days.

However, over 100 days have passed since the visit and the CC has still not provided a definitive resolution. Due to sustained suspension of activities and high levels of uncertainty 250 workers were laid off in January 2018. It has been estimated that the mine's suspension of activities has had an impact of 0.1% on Guatemala's GDP.

In 2019, Pan American Silver Mining bought Tahoe Resources. Since then the new administration has worked on improving the relationship of the mine with the local authorities and Xinca communities, including adopting the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights. In January 2021, the ministry announced plans to begin pre-consultation. The pre-consultation began in May 2021 and has been delayed on numerous occasions due to C19 restrictions.

OXEC I and II Hydroelectric Project

This has been a contentious project, with the Supreme Court recently suspending the project for failure to consult the local indigenous population. The Constitutional Court (CC) then overruled the judgement, allowing operations to continue, but requiring the company to undertake a retroactive consultation with the support of The Ministry of Energy and Mine (MEM). Based on the sentence of the CC, the MEM consulted indigenous people situated in 11 surrounding communities.

Although agreements were reached and signed, environmental activists raised concerns that other communities impacted by the hydroelectric project along the Cahabon River were not consulted. Most recently, Bernardo Caal, a community leader opposing the project was imprisoned. He recently denounced that OXEC II was being built on state property and shared a report provided by Guatemala's Land Fund. The company asserted that locals had claimed property over those lands and that it had had to pay twice to obtain the property.

In July 2020, Amnesty International declared Bernardo Caal (prisoner of conscience) who was wrongfully imprisoned for more than two years, and expressed concern over the irregularities and negligence in the criminal proceedings. Caal's lawyers have been appealing his sentence since late November 2018.

4.2 Advancements and challenges ahead

Further to consultations with indigenous communities, to date the Guatemalan government has been unable to establish clear regulations. There have been several registered cases of social unrest, attacks against human right defenders, and the suspension or closure of extractive projects. In 2016, the Unit for the Protection of Human Right Defenders in Guatemala (UDEFEGUA) reported 253 attacks or aggressions against human rights defenders, which represents an increase of 50% compared to 2019 figures.

Regarding extractive industries, Guatemala was found to be EITI compliant on March 2014. Guatemala regularly discloses the government's revenues from natural resources. Most recently in 2017 Guatemala published its 2014-2015 EITI reports. It also published its Beneficial Ownership Roadmap.

The Guatemalan government recently published an "operational guide" which provides basic guidelines for implementing consultations based on ILO Convention 169. The guide has received criticism from many sectors based on the fact that it is not regulated and is not included in any international treaty or agreement. Thus, it is not binding. In May 2017 the Constitutional Court ordered the Guatemalan Congress to develop and approve a law to regulate the rights of consultations with indigenous communities.

On 23 January 2020, the EITI Board agreed that Guatemala had made inadequate progress overall in implementing the 2016 EITI Standard. On 24 December 2020, the EITI Board agreed a revised Validation schedule; based on this decision, Guatemala's second Validation will commence on 1 April 2022.

5. Rule of law and transparency

Guatemala continues to struggle to develop an effective Rule of Law but some improvements have been made on transparency issues. The judiciary is hobbled by corruption, inefficiency, capacity shortages and intimidation of judges and prosecutors. There have been some improvements in transparency, especially in the customs and tax agencies. But challenges remain. Organized private sector in Guatemala remains committed to transparency but other traditional companies want to keep the status quo.

Guatemala scored 25/100 and ranked 149 out of 180 in the Transparency International Corruption Index 2021, no change from 2020 but remaining a historically new low in the corruption perception index.

5.1 Study Case: International Commission Against Impunity (CICIG)

In 2006 the United Nations and the Guatemalan Government signed the Agreement to Establish CICIG. As a result, CICIG began its operations in 2007 as an independent, international body designed to support the Public Prosecutors Office (MP), the National Civil Police (PNC) and other State institutions in the investigation of crimes committed by members of illegal security forces and clandestine security structures.

According to CICIG, these groups commit illegal acts which affect citizens' enjoyment and exercise of their fundamental human rights, and have direct or indirect links to state agents or the ability to block judicial actions related to their illegal activities. Thus, CICIG assists with investigations and criminal prosecutions in a small number of complex cases, as well as implements steps aimed at strengthening the institutions of the justice system and their capacity to tackle such groups in the future.

Since its creation, CICIG's mandate had been extended every two years. Throughout 2019, there were rising tensions between the Government and CICIG. President Jimmy Morales' political party FCN Nación was accused of receiving illicit campaign funding. Several businessmen have stepped forward admitting to these claims.

However, Morales has denied any wrongdoing. Under the leadership of its current Commissioner, Ivan Velázquez, CICIG has twice asked for the President's immunity to be withdrawn. In addition, CICIG and MP have also taken investigations forward against the President's son and brother.The rising tensions between both parties are visible and on several occasions the Government has pushed to expel and replace Velasquez. CICIG brought to light several high profile cases (see examples below).

In September 2019, the UN backed anti-corruption commission (CICIG) closed its doors after the government unilaterally terminated its agreement.

The Line and co-opting of the state

Two of the most prominent investigations supported by CICIG are "The Line" and "Coopting of the State". The first case revealed a widespread criminal structure operating within the Customs Administration. While advancing on investigations in the first case, MP and CICIG identified an extensive financial scheme connected to the official political party (Patriotic Party). In 2015 massive public demonstrations lead to the resignation of then President Otto Pérez Molina and Vice-President Roxanna Baldetti. They were linked to both cases and arrested. Their trials along with others public officials involved are still in progress.

Odebrecht

The Odebrecht bribery scandal was also prominent in Guatemala. Prosecutors launched formal charges against an array of former politicians and their associates who, they allege, received USD 19m between 2013 and 2015. This period corresponds to the government of former President Otto Pérez Molina, who has been on remand since September 2015 facing several corruption charges.

In 2012 the Guatemalan Congress voted in favour of giving the country's road-building concession to Odebrecht in a USD 280m deal, following a negotiation which began back in 2008. The Prosecutor's Office has suggested further charges may yet be forthcoming against members of Congress.

The main charges to date relate to Alejandro Sinibaldi, who was Minister of Infrastructure during Perez Molina's presidency and the Patriotic Party's presidential candidate in 2015. Currently on the run from an international arrest warrant, Sinibaldi allegedly received USD 11m in bribes. Also charged is former presidential candidate Manuel Baldizón, for having received USD 1.3m in bribes, along with several business associates and the ex- private secretary of now imprisoned former Vice President Roxana Baldetti.

Transurbano

This is one of the most recent corruption cases brought to light by CICIG and MP. Transurbano is a public bus transportation system in Guatemala City. It was established during the Presidency of Álvaro Colom Caballeros (2008-2012). In 2015 a series of anomalies were detected by the General Comptroller's Office. In February 2018 former President Álvaro Colom Caballeros and numerous ministers from his cabinet were detained. They were charged with embezzlement and fraud for having consented to a government agreement granting USD 35m to The Association of Urban Bus Companies to finance the prepaid system.

According to Guatemalan law it is illegal to transfer public funds to a for profit entity, such as the Association without following the proper procedure. Moreover, the Transurbano project was publicized as being the best in Latin America, with a fleet of 3,150 buses which would resolve the public transportation crisis. However, only approximately 200 buses are in circulation, many of them in poor condition.

6. Security: impact on business

Due to widespread extortion, crime, and presence of gang members in some areas of the country, most businesses invest in private security. Experts estimated in 2012 that 150,000 private security agents were working in Guatemala, exceeding the number of national police forces, which at the time stood at 25,000. Public forces are unable to meet the growing security demand.

Thus, investors must take into consideration security costs when establishing operations in the country. Several UK private security companies offer their services in the country: Group CSC, Centurion Security S.A, G4S and La Legión Seguridad, S.A.

According to PNUD the economic costs of violence represent approximately 7.7% of the GDP. Guatemala's insecurity has limited the operations of certain companies and MSMEs. Water providers, gas providers and transportation providers have been commonly targeted by extortionists. In many cases companies have been required to pay fees to extortionists in order to deliver their products or operate in certain zones.

According to the Ministry of Interior, the three most affected municipalities by extortions are Mixco, Villa Nueva, and Guatemala City. See the FCDO Travel Advice Guatemala for additional information.

7. The regulatory environment

Guatemalan laws on tax, labour, environment, health and safety, do not forbid foreign investment or foreign companies to operate in the country. However, bureaucratic processes to obtain licences and permits do represent a challenge for foreign companies/investors that do not know how the system operates (in comparison to domestic companies that are more familiar with such processes).

Regarding labour, the Guatemalan Labour Code regulates employer-employee relations and sets the benefits and obligations that have to be complied with. These include social security, bonuses, minimum wage, overtime, vacations, safety standards, etc. All these costs can add up to 50% of the salary of an employee.

For social security, only workers in the formal sector have access to the national system; the informal sector workers can opt for private insurance if they can afford it. This limitation means that more than half of the population of Guatemala are not registered in the social security system, mainly because of the prevalence of the informal economy and agricultural workers.

Additionally, workers in the formal sector have to receive two complete extra salaries per year (as long as they have worked for one year in the company, if not the amount is calculated for the time worked). There is also a requirement to hire Guatemalan workers: at least 90% of the total workers have to be Guatemalan and at least 85% of the payroll has to be done in Guatemala. This requirement does not apply for high level positions.

Despite labour regulations being supervised by the Ministry of Labour, enforcement of labour laws to protect workers' rights is not effective (especially in some sectors like agriculture and textile manufacturing), resulting in some labour abuses and many cases that are reported are not resolved appropriately.

There are no price controls or regulation of exchange rates in Guatemala.

For a more comprehensive list of regulations and procedures, Guatemala has created the website www.asisehace.gt and also the website www.minegocio.gt in order to facilitate business registration online, both with the support of the international network of transparent investment procedures of UNCTAD.
Foreign & Commonwealth Office Economic Factsheet for Guatemala Trade and Investment Factsheets
8.1 Commercial

8.2 Business and Human Rights

8.3 Education

8.4 Rule of law and transparency

8.5 Security

8.6 Think Tanks

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Guatemala is the largest economy in Central America, with a GDP of USD 77.6 billion (2020); a country with the steadiest growth rate in Latin America for three decades. Guatemala's economy experienced one of the smallest GDP contractions in 2020 in the region (-1.5%) following onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Before conducting the physical comp shop, I used Edited to conduct secondary research. This helped me to gather so much information on the four brands I've selected including: price range, options available, current discounts, assortment, colours and patterns. Here I have included the pattern section of the report. Because of my findings, I selected one of the SS/23 key items to perform the comp shop on would graphic t-shirts (also testified in the WGSN SS/23 catwalk analytics topweights report). It showed that the biggest mix of pattern count across all brands was graphic products with 288 results (42% of all patterned products).

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I used this BusinessOfFashion article to reinforce my decision of implementing CLO3D into the Jacquemus business model to create digital samples included in my sourcing strategy (besides the information I already received from the industry masterclass talks delivered at the FRA). I discovered that brands such as Adidas, Inditex and Hugo Boss already use CLO in business and that using the software reduces lead time to an average of 27 hours compared to 37 days without CLO, and offering a 55 percent sample adoption rate compared to 15 percent without CLO.

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NEW YORK, United States - The practice of physical sampling, creating prototypes and shipping materials are a few ways in which the apparel and footwear industries contribute to roughly 8 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, according to consultancy Quantis. Indeed, with the younger consumer cohorts now more concerned than ever to buy from transparent, responsible brands, the need to weave sustainability into the product development and design process is an increasingly important credential.

With more than 15 years of research, CLO Virtual Fashion offers an end-to-end solution through the virtual simulation of garments, while supplying data on wider designs and trends to its partners. The technology visualises users' creations with the ability to create unlimited graphic placements, colourways and engineered print layouts, while accurately emulating drape-sensitive fabrics, reducing lead time for an average of 27 hours compared to 37 days without CLO, and offering a 55 percent sample adoption rate compared to 15 percent without CLO.

Complementing the 3D design software for apparel designers and brands, CLO also offers digital touchpoints and services throughout the product development and design process such as Benefit by CLO, a virtual fitting platform, and CLO-SET, a collaboration and data asset management platform for virtual garments.

Driven by its 172 employees in offices across New York, Los Angeles, Madrid, Munich, Seoul, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Bangalore, CLO counts Adidas, Macy's, Hugo Boss, Inditex, Levi's and Bestseller among its clientele.

Simon Kim, CEO of CLO Virtual Fashion | Source: Courtesy

Now, BoF sits down with the platform's chief executive, Simon Kim, to hear about how the 3D fashion design software company is pioneering the digitisation of the fashion design process and how eliminating unnecessary physical sampling and waste, while also reducing production lead times, design inaccuracies and overhead, are powerful change agents in our industry's transformation.
How did the CLO business and technology come about?
I met the co-founders, Jaden [Oh] and [JH] Boo, in 2008 when I was working as a venture capitalist. Jaden was a PhD graduate and the inventor of the fabric simulation engine algorithm. When he developed the prototype, he let his students use it for fun and to test it out. He saw them enjoy using it and that was the start of figuring out how he could let more people use this software and algorithm while having fun doing it.

Having fun building with this technology is at the core of our business, while simultaneously envisioning how it will change the world. So back in 2009, CLO Virtual Fashion was launched with a vision to change the world by connecting and converging real and virtual garments. We envision a world where every real piece of clothing is tagged to its own digital version and vice versa.

I was mesmerised by the technology and how useful it could be. When CLO launched in 2009, there were already 3D apparel CAD softwares but there wasn't 3D clothes simulation technology that was practical enough to be used daily in the actual design and development workflow. They didn't seem to be fast enough, accurate enough or easy enough to use. It was not flexible to cater to designers, pattern makers and tech designers in a practical sense.
How was the technology designed?
Because it's a design software, the users are creators, so we knew that it needed to be as intuitive as possible and to be expansive enough to design anything you want. If it takes two days to create a 3D outfit, what's the point?

Saving time, money and waste is one of many results that come from using 3D technology.

We went to talk to the users, to know more about them and their unique workflow - and in the fashion industry, every single company has a different workflow. Some companies might take 50 weeks to finalise their designs, others take five weeks. So, we needed to go into how and why each feature is used and how it can be improved, to really contribute to their daily workflow.

It also enables greater collaboration too, because designers used to sketch something then hand it over to a tech designer, then to the factories. It was all based on handing over parts of the design process. Now, you can string all this expertise together. The factories, vendors, manufacturing and creation of a sample - we can gather all of those creativities, meaning that we can detect flaws and improve the designs early on.
How did you ensure it would meet fashion industry needs?

CLO Virtual Fashion designs | Source: Courtesy

Our company has 70 3D designers, with experience in fashion design, tech design and patternmaking, so they are the first tier of users to test it all out. This helps create a natural relationship for users. They speak the language of pattern making and design; they went through the same challenges, so they get it. Through those relationships, we then gather the information on how to improve our services.

When our 3D designers go to clients, we ask them to bring in interested designers, patternmakers, tech designers and other creatives so we can talk to them first. We have "discovery days," when people can come in and ask questions like, "how do you create this particular design and how long does that take if I have no patternmaking expertise?"
How does the technology facilitate users' creativity?
I find it mind-blowing what users are able to create. We are a tool to help our users create cooler designs. We like to see our software as a Minecraft of fashion design. We want to be as expansive and versatile as possible.

For instance, physically, you might only have a few chances to try out different silhouettes. You mostly work with a limited number of fabrics. With computer programming, you can do multiple iterations in a matter of minutes - and it is just a drag and drop. If you want to try out a cotton jersey-based shirt in leather, you just click to change it. If you want to add a pocket, copy and paste.

So, it not only amplifies the creativity, but it can also transform the way you think. It offers the flexibility and time to experiment for the designers who may not have the capacity to change the pattern or fabric - and you don't have the extra cost of doing it. Saving time, money and waste is one of many results that come from using 3D.
How can CLO help companies operate more responsibly?
Sustainability is a big issue and consumers have ever-increasing demands. We want more variety and more diverse designs but it needs to cater to that without burdening the people involved in the design development process and without burdening the environment.

We have never before had this data set of connecting body shapes into the design data.

Technology is the answer to this. All fashion companies need is a technology trigger like CLO so that it sparks up ideas and revolutionises the way they want to work more efficiently, more effectively and how they target audiences better. We are always surprised by how users use our software and technology.
What developments of CLO technology excite you most for the future?
What excites us most is empowering creators and the end consumer by ensuring the full use of the digital garment. We're at the beginning stages of making this possible through our platform called CLO-SET. Through CLO-SET, many users are already enjoying the benefits of real-time collaboration with the whole global supply chain, with full use of the archive of digital garments and its data.

We are also working on a virtual fitting application where the end consumer will be able to create their avatars and wear, style and play with garments online without going into physical fitting rooms. This will not only revolutionise the way we consume clothes, but it'll also provide a direct connection between the creators and the consumers.

For example, if you designed a shirt and it was tried on by consumers, let's say 80 percent of those consumers were taller than 170 centimetres and had longer arms. You can learn from that feedback. We have never before had this data set of connecting body shapes into the design data. I'm excited about the prospect of empowering designers to design better without ever creating a physical sample.
This is a sponsored feature paid for by CLO Virtual Fashion as part of a BoF Careers partnership.

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At CLO Virtual Fashion, Digitising the Design Process to Drive Transformation

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The 3D fashion design software company counts Adidas, Inditex and Hugo Boss among their clientele, and considers its technology as a change agent, driving forward industry transformation and a sustainable design process.

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Sourcing: Newly emerging sourcing countries

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Sourcing: Newly emerging sourcing countries

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I have used this article from just-style (published by GlobalData) to decide what newly emerging sourcing country to choose for my group sourcing strategy. I had already decided I wanted to choose a country in the South America region and this article featured a variety to consider. I thought this article was very helpful and informative as it gives each country a rating out of 75 based on these 15 factors:

-Ability to provide Free/Freight on Board (FOB) – the most commonly used shipping agreement in garment exports

-Price

-Tariffs advantage

-Compliance/sustainability

-Production quality

-Efficiency

-Lead time

-Reliability

-Ability to create basic products

-Financial stability

-Vertical integration/ability to source new materials

-Political stability

-Flexibility of order quantity

-Innovation and ability to develop products with buyers

-Ability to create value-added products

Guatemala scored 51/75 and placed eighth overall and informed me that Apparel represents Guatemala’s second-largest export (about 20%).

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There's a real mix of likely and unlikely suspects in Just Style 's top ten list of apparel sourcing countries to watch in 2022, including two intercontinental countries and two based in Central America.

It's also worth noting that a number of key apparel sourcing countries did not make it into the top ten list for 2022 at all. Sri Lanka, for example, just missed out as it comes eleventh, Bangladesh takes the twelfth spot, and India is further down the list in sixteenth position, followed by Pakistan, which sits in eighteenth place.

Methodology

The scores of 27 of the world's leading apparel sourcing countries were taken from data that can be found exclusively in the GlobalData Apparel Intelligence Center.

It is based on a maximum score of 75 with each sourcing destination receiving a score out of five for the 15 main factors that would affect a supply chain executive's decision to use a country for apparel sourcing in 2022.

For each of the 15 factors, a score was given between one and five, with five equating to excellent, and the scores were then added together to create a final result for each country.

The total scores for each country were then added up and then ranked highest to lowest.

Just Style has focused on the top ten performing countries as well as those with the three lowest scores out of the total 27 countries measured, however, the full list of countries with their scores can be found at the end of this feature.
The 15 factors used to calculate the apparel sourcing results are:

Ability to provide Free/Freight on Board (FOB) - the most commonly used shipping agreement in garment exports

Price

Tariffs advantage

Compliance/sustainability

Production quality

Efficiency

Lead time

Reliability

Ability to create basic products

Financial stability

Vertical integration/ability to source new materials

Political stability

Flexibility of order quantity

Innovation and ability to develop products with buyers

Ability to create value-added products

The top ten

10. Thailand
Score: 49.5/75
Southeast Asia's Thailand takes tenth place in the list with a score of 49.5 out of 75. The country scored highly in seven out of the 15 factors within the scorecard data. Its highest scores were for its innovation and ability to develop products with buyers (4.5/5), ability to provide FOB (4/5), production quality (4/5), lead time (4/5), reliability (4/5), ability to create basic products (4/5), and vertical integration/ability to source new materials.

According to GlobalData, apparel accounts for 30% of gross domestic product (GDP) within the country and comprises 2,500 garment manufacturers with nearly a million workers. Thailand is committed to improving its competitive position in apparel by refining its value-added products, introducing more advanced technologies, and providing tax relaxation and import duty exemptions on machinery and inputs necessary for manufacture. The government is also said to be making its regulatory framework more efficient and transparent to attract investment and integrate the economy into the global marketplace, a move that will help to companies that participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nation's (ASEAN) integrated textile supply chain.

9. Morocco
Score: 50.5/75
Africa-based Morocco sits in ninth place with a score of 50.5 out of 75. It achieved top marks (5/5) for its ability to create basic products as it remains a major producer of high-quality basics at a reasonable cost. The country's strategy for growth includes plans to exploit that niche and the country is focused on low value-added basic production, although it has high value-added capabilities.

Morocco achieved almost full marks (4.5/5) for its tariffs advantage, production quality and lead time.

Textiles and apparel manufacture is Morocco's largest export with GlobalData citing 1,200 factories and 190,000 workers being dedicated to apparel and providing a quarter (25%) of industrial employment. Three quarters (75%) of apparel exports are in formal and casualwear and the value per weight and volume is among the highest in the world.

Over the next few years, Morocco is expected to benefit from the International Trade Centre's Global Textiles/Middle East and North Africa Textiles (GTEX/MENTATEX) capacity-building programme for fast fashion, knitwear and denim.

8. Guatemala
Score: 51/75
Guatemala is placed eighth with a score of 51/75. The Central American country was awarded top marks for its ability to provide FOB (5/5), which includes cost, insurance, and freight (CIF); and delivering duty paid (DDP), mainly to the US.

The country also scored 4.5/5 for its tariffs advantage, lead time and its innovation and ability to develop products with buyers.

Apparel represents Guatemala's second-largest export (about 20%), and the country offers many benefits for retailers and brands ranging from quality and efficiency to vertical integration and multiple free trade agreements.

It is arguably one of the more surprising additions to the top ten list as the country faces significant problems, including deteriorating social stability. In fact, more than half of its population sits below the national poverty line, and the country suffers from ongoing labour disputes. On the plus side, the country's president who took office in January 2020, has pledged to continue improvements in healthcare, education, security, and infrastructure, although battling the pandemic continues to be a governmental priority.

7. Egypt
Score: 51/75
Egypt, which sits on the border between Africa and the Middle East, also scored 51/75 but was ranked higher than Guatemala as it scored two 'excellent' ratings as opposed to the Central American country's one.

Egypt was awarded excellent (5/5) for its lead time and ability to provide FOB for garments from formal wear and denim to cotton basics.

A major benefit of using Egypt as an apparel sourcing destination is it's average lead times range from 30-75 days. In fact, some products can be ready to ship in as few as 12 days, and samples can be ready in as little as a week. Shipping to countries within Egypt's region takes two to 18 days, to Europe from six to 12 days, and to the US from 12 to 30 days. Egypt has also improved its port processing speed, although labour unrest can lengthen load and sitting times.

Egypt has a moderate-sized garment industry with the EU and the US listed as its largest export markets. Textiles and apparel represent about 8% of exports, 27% of industrial production, and 10% of the country's working population. The apparel sector employs about 1.5m workers in 2,500 factories. However, outside Egypt's Qualified Industrial Zone, the industry is dominated by small and mid-sized companies, often not modernised or integrated into garment production.

Over the past few years, it has become easier to carry out business within the country and interest rates have fallen. Egypt has worked hard to increase sustainability, although workers' rights remain among the poorest, according to the annual report of the International Trade Union Confederation.

6. Mexico
Score: 52/75
Sixth place goes to Mexico with excellent marks (5/5) for both its ability to provide FOB and its tariff advantage. Mexico has a long history of offering FOB, which is widely available, although the prices of FOB products have increased over those of its Asian competitors.

The country scored highly on its tariff advantage as it applies strict rules of origin that curtail the use of non-United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) inputs. The agreement promotes US investment in Mexico's apparel industry, which enjoys tariff-free export to the US, accounting for 85% of its market. It has a large number of free trade agreements (12 with 46 countries), which means the Mexican market is one of the most open and competitive in the world. While the US is the largest import partner in textiles and apparel, China, India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam are growing as significant trading partners.

Apparel is an important contributor to the Mexican economy, employing about 400,000 workers in 22,000 factories. Apparel exports, depressed by the pandemic, are expected to rise by 8% through 2022. Mexico's position as a manufacturer for export should be strengthened by its continued fiscal and financial reforms, as well as attention to energy, violence, corruption, and infrastructure.

5. El Salvador
Score: 53.5/75
The fifth spot goes to Central America's El Salvador with a score of 53.5 and 5/5 for its ability to provide FOB with the country moving away from pure Cut, Make, Trim (CMT) to the full package.

The country also scored almost perfectly (4.75/5) for its vertical integration/ability to source new materials. It continues to integrate its well-established textile production with its cut-and-sew production and total integration is found in its apparel-producing clusters. Although the country relies heavily on imported materials for its cotton products, it produces synthetic fibres and fabrics and it has increased its focus on products using those materials such as the growing athleisure market. It is also importing high-tech equipment for the production of both fabrics and cut-and-sewn.

El Salvador trades under the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA). It is a top ten supplier of textiles and apparel to the US, where over 70% of the sector's exports find their market. Apparel is one of the strongest export sectors for the country, accounting for about 30% of exports and employing 60,000 workers in 800 factories.

On the downside, El Salvador has one of the slowest-growing economies in Central America and faces severe challenges to economic growth due to the pandemic. To help its struggling economy, the government has introduced regulatory reforms.

4. China
Score: 54/75
China sits in fourth place with a score of 54 and an excellent score for its ability to provide FOB, which it can do at low cost because of its high level of integration. China does provide many other international commercial terms, including delivered duty paid (DDP), but FOB is considered the best option.

The global powerhouse also scored 5/5 for its vertical integration/ability to create new materials as it has a well-established vertically integrated apparel production system known for speed, efficiency, and reliability. China has internal, material, infrastructural, technological, and human resources that allow it to control supply, production, and value chains. As labour costs have risen, China has placed vertically integrated production in nearby trading/supply partner countries, using its resources and supply chain expertise. It has also enhanced integration with automation. The robustness of the system was demonstrated by the quick rebound of its manufacture after the peak of the pandemic.

China is the world's second-largest economy and largest apparel exporter. Its leadership position has been weakening, but no other country can match its supply base, its range of skills, quality levels, product variety, completeness of its supply chain, or has the capacity to absorb its business. In spite of the disruption of supply chains related to the pandemic and trade tensions with the US, the country continues to appeal to apparel buyers as rising wages are offset by efficiency and productivity gains through advanced manufacturing technologies.
In fact, China remained the largest apparel supplier to the US market in October 2021, according to data published by the US Department of Commerce's Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA).
The emergence of China as one of the world's largest consumer markets may cause many of its export factories to switch to producing for its domestic market, but its role as a dominant player in global apparel sourcing is expected to continue for years to come. The government has adopted economic policies to try to mitigate the risks to the garment industry, including strengthening relationships with nearby Asian countries, as well as Africa and Central America.
It should be noted however, there are claims of forced labour within China's Xinjiang region and this has led many countries, including the US to ban the imports of Xinjiang-made cotton.
3. Peru
Score: 55.5/75
Peru is the only South American country to make it into the top ten list with a score of 55.5. The country did not receive any 'excellent' scores but it's overall high score comes from the fact it received almost top marks 4.5/5 and 4/5 for nine of the 15 factors.

The country achieved 4.5/5 scores for its tariffs advantage, production quality, lead time and its vertical integration / ability to source new materials.

This is not surprising as Peru is widely known for its high quality production and lead times that can be as short as 30 days, depending on the size and sophistication of the manufacturer.

Apparel is Peru's largest manufactured export with the majority going to the Americas. The industry employs about 130,000 workers and it attracts global brands, in part because of its rich heritage in textile craft and eco-friendliness. Before the pandemic, the industry enjoyed three successive years of growth with robust expansion in the US market. Peru's manufacturing and trade was hard hit by the pandemic, and the economy contracted sharply even though the country entered the crisis with strong fiscal policies and strong account balances. However, it is expected to remain attractive for foreign investment in 2022 as its ease of doing business remains among the best in the region.

2. Turkey
Score: 58/75
Turkey, which lies between Europe and Asia, is arguably one of the more notable apparel sourcing destinations to make it on the top ten list.

It scored 58 in GlobalData's Sourcing Scorecards data, which is only one point less than the country taking the top spot. Plus, it received top scores in six out of the 15 key factors, including:

Ability to provide FOB

Production quality

Ability to create basic products

Vertical integration/ability to source new materials

Innovation and ability to develop products with buyers

Ability to create value-added products

FOB is widely available in Turkey and the country wide-initiative to digitise its entire supply chain makes it a resilient option for companies concerned about the effects of the Omicron variant as we move into 2022.

Turkey has a highly skilled labour force and a history of fine workmanship. As Turkey has moved higher on the list of top exporters, the industry has felt additional pressure on price, value addition, and quality.

It has a wide range of manufacturing capabilities, including basics, which remain a large part of its apparel exports. Already a provider for many brands that focus on basics, Turkey is seeing growing interest from European brands. The country has also introduced technologies that will enhance its position in the low-end market.

Apparel and textiles are considered to be the backbone of the Turkish industry and are one of Turkey's largest exports. To boost manufacture and export, the government has targeted infrastructure improvements, such as adding new railways for easier shipping and increasing the number of logistics centres. These improvements should further shorten already speedy delivery to Europe in 2022 while mitigating in part the country's increasing labour and material input costs.

1 .Vietnam
Score: 59/75
The top spot and main apparel destination to watch in 2022 goes to Southeast Asia's Vietnam. It scored 59 and achieved 3/5 or above for all 15 factors with an excellent score for its political stability.

The country is the most continuously stable country in Southeast Asia and it is this history of stability that puts it at the top of most global lists. It honours its various international agreements, such as the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement, which demands compliance on issues such as intellectual property and human rights. Vietnam's willingness to cooperate with conditions in those agreements limits the threat of international destabilising pressures. The stability and independence of Vietnam has allowed it to pursue diverse economic, political, and military ties with regional powers such as Japan and India, and also with the US.

Since its transition to a market economy in 1986, Vietnam has developed one of the most vibrant economies in the region, emerging as a global power in its manufacture and export with apparel playing a significant role in the country's growth. Apparel, the second-largest export for Vietnam (19%) after electrical equipment, neared the US$60bn mark in 2019. The industry employs about 2.5m workers in 6,000 factories.

The labour market has become more flexible as the country shifts its economic focus from agriculture to manufacturing. Vietnam has started to reform state-owned enterprises through increased transparency and blended partnerships with foreign investors. Foreign direct investment has helped improve infrastructure and supported increasing knowledge transfer. Exports should continue to perform well, especially as the country signs more preferential trade agreements, such as the one with the EU, which took effect at the end of July 2020. Vietnam's agreements support a supply chain that requires foreign resources due to domestic inputs not keeping pace with increased production demands.

The three countries at the bottom of the list and facing the biggest challenges in 2022

The three sourcing destinations sitting at the bottom of the list and most likely to face real challenges in 2022 have all experienced political instability and uncertainty in 2021.

Here is Just Style's analysis of the three countries with the lowest scores as we move into 2022:

1. Myanmar -18.5/75

It is highly likely that Myanmar, which scored the lowest mark of 18.5/75 and zero in six of the 15 key factors, will have another challenging year in 2022, following the aftermath of its military coup in February.

The international backlash and investors' uncertainty has deeply injured an economy that had already slowed sharply due to the pandemic. The country will likely find itself unsupported by foreign aid programmes and ineligible for preferential trade agreements. In addition, it may face embargoes on its exports and imports. Moreover, the international tensions arising from human rights violations in Rohingya will likely re-emerge with greater force.

Myanmar had experienced continued economic growth, integration into the global economy, and foreign investment in the garment industry and other sectors.

Exports of apparel, meanwhile, had been growing each year until 2020. To sustain growth, the government had been modernising the financial sector and improving infrastructure and energy. To offset lost relations with Western nations, Myanmar's relationship with China will likely strengthen. The China-Myanmar Economic Corridor had already begun to increase China's trade with and investment in Myanmar, although the latter's military has voiced distrust of China.

Just Style reported in September, the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) was working with the Fair Wear Foundation to develop a human rights impact assessment of the evolving situation in Myanmar.

While earlier the same month, it was reported the IndustriAll Global Union and its Myanmar affiliate, the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar, was calling for a boycott of goods made in Myanmar as part of a wider campaign for comprehensive economic sanctions against the military junta.

2. Haiti - 25/75

This small Caribbean nation, which scored the second-lowest in the scorecards data, is widely regarded as the poorest country in the West, however it is almost entirely dependent on the apparel industry.

The country scored low in almost all of the 15 key factors, with high scores of 3.5/5 for its tariff advantage due to its trade with the US, and 3/5 for its ability to make basic products.

The country, which scored zero for political stability, suffers from severe and chronic political and institutional uncertainty, which, along with the pandemic, has roiled the nation for the past two years.

The country faces significant challenges to growth from disruptive social and political unrest, corruption, and organised crime. With some of the lowest grades on infrastructure, credit, and ease of doing business, the country sadly lacks the stability and resources for sustained improvement.

It also remains highly vulnerable to natural disasters and it takes many years for the country to recover from the aftermath of severe hurricanes, which are common in the Caribbean region.

Haiti recently accelerated its apparel production and reintroduced cotton growing to reduce cost and support vertical integration. The main inputs into Haiti's apparel industry are cotton fabrics, which are predominantly sourced from the Dominican Republic, and synthetic fabrics, mainly from China.

On the plus side, it was recently revealed that c ompanion bills had been introduced in both the US Senate and House of Representatives to extend the HOPE (Haitian Hemisphere Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement) and HELP (Haitian Economic Lift Program) programmes until 2025. These trade preference schemes aim to improve opportunities for people in Haiti people through trade preferences designed to support manufacturing jobs in the apparel industry.5.

3. Ethiopia - 33/75

The East African nation scored the third-lowest in the scorecard data, which is unsurprising given the civil war that is continuing to plague the nation.

2022 is also likely to wreak havoc on the country's apparel sector in particular as the US has made the decision to suspend the country from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) from January 2022.

AGOA gives Ethiopia duty-free access to the US market and Ethiopian clothing suppliers have warned that stripping the AGOA trade benefit will have a negative effect on the 50,000 jobs that were created thanks to the scheme.

Ethiopia, the 22 nd largest supplier of apparel to the US market, has been an AGOA beneficiary country since its enactment in 2001 with 70% of the US$750m earned by the east African country's two dozen industrial parks since 2014, ending up in the US market under AGOA.
One clothing supplier told Just Style in an exclusive and anonymous interview that once the US pulls the benefit in January all of those workers will return to dire straits once more. While, a statement by the Ethiopia ministry of trade and regional integration (MoTRI) made in November said the move would reverse significant economic gains and unfairly impact and harm women and children.
The country remains one of the poorest in the region, despite having one of the fastest-growing economies. In recent years, the government has sought to diversify its economy away from agriculture by prioritising the development of the export textile and garment industry. The sector has undergone rapid growth, promoted in part by foreign direct investments aimed at the European market. Low wages, which are set by the government, have helped expand the industry as well.

However, the challenges of the pandemic and civil conflict risk the country becoming less appealing to apparel suppliers in 2022 and beyond.

The full apparel sourcing countries list for 2022 based on GlobalData's sourcing scorecard data (listed from highest score to lowest)

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The ten apparel sourcing countries to watch in 2022

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There's a real mix of likely and unlikely suspects in Just Style 's top ten list of apparel sourcing countries to watch in 2022, including two intercontinental countries and two based in Central America. It's also worth noting that a number of key apparel sourcing countries did not make it into the top ten list for 2022 at all.

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WGSN SS/23 catwalk analytics: Top weights

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WGSN SS/23 catwalk analytics: Top weights

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From this WGSN SS/23 catwalk analytics: Top weights article I discovered that tops hold the highest penetration of apparel at 25.8%. For this reason, tops will also hold the largest mix in my collection. It states that SS/23 designs will take a more sensual approach with the rise of cropped silhouettes, sheer fabrics and corset tops to all be key items. These are all elements that will feature in my SS/23 range as a result of my findings.

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WGSN SS/23 Catwalk analytics: action points

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WGSN SS/23 Catwalk analytics: action points

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I have used this report from WGSN to decide the route I want to take in my SS/23 collection. I believe this is a good place to start as it has an overview of the whole season covering all bases from silhouettes to colour to category. From this report I discovered that this season there is a shift in occasionwear, As eveningwear continues to grow, OTT partywear is making room for understated occasionwear. Brand are 'creating pieces that can be styled to offer more versatility' which in turn will reinforce the circular and sustainable approach I am proposing for the company in my sourcing Strategy. I also found the 'hashtags used by WGSN strategists' sections on this article helpful for key items and trends to include in my range, for example a few I will be using in my own collection are: Sheers, Trenchcoat, Corset, UnderwearOuterwear and ReworkedClassics.

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I have used this report from WGSN to select the colour palette for my SS/23 collection. It shows the the key colours expected for the season. I have included #HyperPink , #OpticWhite , #SunsetShades , #SunnyYellow & #GetYourGreens. I believe these colours will reflect my brands personality, compliment my silhouettes whilst also staying on trend and being commercial for the season.

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Weekly reflective journals, TBC

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For the group comp shop, the main brand we chose to focus on was Fiorucci. We compared them against Alexander Wang, Off-White and Ganni. Fiorucci is quite a transparent brand and it was easy to find information regarding their sustainable efforts and ESG on their website. For example, 95% of the cotton products they offer are 100% organic cotton that have been grown responsibly without genetically modified seeds. They are also manufactured in factories where "fair treatment and inclusivity is at the forefront".

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Iconic Denim

Shop the latest Fiorucci premium denim, designed to make you look sensational. Our denim range includes everything from flared jeans, denim jackets, tapered jeans and denim dresses. With details like our iconic angel patch to give it that signature Fiorucci glam. Whether you want to keep it simple or make a statement, our new denim is what you need!

SHOP JEANS & DENIM

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To enjoy the full Fiorucci experience, please enable JavaScript. Iconic Denim Shop the latest Fiorucci premium denim, designed to make you look sensational. Our denim range includes everything from flared jeans, denim jackets, tapered jeans and denim dresses. With details like our iconic angel patch to give it that signature Fiorucci glam.

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My professional email to a supplier regarding faulty fabric.

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Project Three final evaluation

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Here are my findings and what I have taken away from my Primary visit to the Jacquemus concession in Selfridges to add to my Spring Summer collection.

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When I decided on the brand Jacquemus I decided to conduct some background research on the brand as I believe this is the best way to gain some insight on the brand, what they are known for, what they are current doing, their brand identity and their competitors. Having this base research really helped me to align my SS/23 range with the Jacquemus handwriting and target customer. When creating a collection it is very important to consider these aspects to have a successful range.

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My professinal portfolio link

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taliafrance Publisher Publications - Issuu

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The Issuu logo, two concentric orange circles with the outer one extending into a right angle at the top leftcorner, with "Issuu" in black lettering beside it

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My Jacquemus Sourcing Strategy

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Group sourcing strategy presentation

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COO Portugal- FriendlyFactories (sustainable factory group)

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COO Portugal- FriendlyFactories (sustainable factory group)

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After researching factories within Portugal, I decided to use this factory group in my sourcing strategy. They have a lot of information about sustainability and ethics easily accessible on their website and are transparent with their customers. With my aim of making Jacquemus a more sustainable and transparent brand I think this factory would suit this aim accordingly.

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Portugal is known to produce top quality and to respect working conditions! Portugal has qualified and well-educated labor force, richness in basic raw materials, well-developed textile finishing industry. Short logistics period due to geographical proximity. Liberal trade policies and Customs Union agreement with the European Union.

All people working for Friendly Factories are adults that have freely chosen their job, are well paid and have good working conditions. They work standard working hours, respecting E.U. legislation; They all have adequate breaks and mealtimes, and have access to health care.

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Portugal is known to produce top quality and to respect working conditions! Portugal has qualified and well-educated labor force, richness in basic raw materials, well-developed textile finishing industry. Short logistics period due to geographical proximity. Liberal trade policies and Customs Union agreement with the European Union.

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Alongside the Clo3D masterclasses we had on site at the FRA, I have used their website to gain more knowledge about the software to include in my sourcing strategy for example, how long it would take to create a digital sample on Clo3D.

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Forbes: Jacquemus takes on sustainability

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Forbes: Jacquemus takes on sustainability

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I have used this Forbes article to explore what ESG initiatives Jacquemus already have in place in their company and how I can expand on these in my sourcing strategy. For example, Porte Jacquemus wanted his collections to feature more sustainable fabrics but when the manufacturer he had been working with for the past decade didn’t have them, he used his buying power to change things, saying, “They didn’t have a sustainable fabric that we wanted. Now, they do—because of the size of the order I can make.” I have used this information in my introduction of my sourcing strategy and what is not covered e.g. logistics, I have proposed using my own initiatives.

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"It's the first time that I have designed a collection as if it were my last," designer Simon Porte Jacquemus said after his Fall 2020 show in Paris.

After celebrating his 10th anniversary in a lavender field in Provence that broke the internet last summer, the French designer opted for something more pared back for his fall 2020 runway show. Rather than a romantic location in the south of France or a space in the city with an elaborate set as he's done in the past, Porte Jacquemus invited his guests to La Defense Arena in the outskirts of Paris, where the surrounding architecture of modern skyscrapers and grey skies cast a dystopian vibe. Guests walked through a huge concert venue in the dark before arriving at a large white square that served as the runway.

This season, Porte Jacquemus wanted to adopt a more sustainable approach to his label. There were no physical invites and no sets. He also chose to show a co-ed show, which will showcase both collections twice a year, rather than four.

The success of his last show had the designer questioning himself and he struggled with "what am I doing in fashion? It's incredible what happened, but still, it's important to tell young people today: I am successful, but I still have doubts. So I decided to slow my company, to show just summer and winter. It's also a decision to make my company feel well, you know? We sat down and said, 'We have to do this with more sense-do we really need 100 fabrics when we could use 10?'"

Porte Jacquemus wanted his collections to feature more sustainable fabrics but when the manufacturer he had been working with for the past decade didn't have them, he used his buying power to change things, saying, "They didn't have a sustainable fabric that we wanted. Now, they do-because of the size of the order I can make."

"Things must make sense in all the procedures, reducing collections and cycles, returning to more sensible things, like in our grandparents' time," the designer added.

The co-ed collection was an exploration timelessness in shades of beige. French actress and model Laetitia Casta opened the show after almost a decade-long absence wearing a linen pencil skirt paired with an off-shoulder cropped cardigan, which set the tone for the show.

As with all of his shows, Porte Jacquemus' fall 2020 show was autobiographical. The skirt that Casta wore was a nod to the very first skirt he made as a seven-year-old boy for his mother Valérie, who has been central to the narrative of the Jacquemus brand. She passed away when he was 19 and when he launched his label, he named it after her maiden name, and each collection finds its way back to her.

"I was seven when I made a skirt out of a curtain for my mother, and she brought me to school wearing it," he explained.

Linen was a key fabric for his fall 2020 collection, which was shown in various iterations of beige from soft ivory to delicate ecru, with dove grey, butter yellow and a sandy taupe punctuated throughout. While muted shades was a strong focus, there were also pops of pink, violet, sage and blue-grey found in loosely structured suits, relaxed trousers and Bardot tops paired with khaki skirts.

The Jacquemus woman is often associated with a French Mediterranean sense of sexiness and this collection imbued the same allure despite the light palette. Bronzed skin peeked out from crop tops, strappy dresses, and micro mini skirts and shorts worn with thigh-high boots or paired with oversized jackets modelled by a superstar cast including Gigi and Bella Hadid, Liu Wen, Joan Smalls and Doutzen Kroes.

Guys followed with slouchy trousers with waistbands undone and trompe-l'oeil boxer shorts peeking out and puffer jackets with recycled filling.

"It's not the last one [show], but everyone goes through periods of doubt," he said. "The state of the world has made me question why I do this job, and my whole team felt the same. We wanted the collection to be much more meaningful."

And indeed it was.

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This season, Porte Jacquemus wanted to adopt a more sustainable approach to his label. There were no physical invites and no sets. He also chose to show a co-ed show, which will showcase both collections twice a year, rather than four.

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5 sustainable clothing manufacturing process

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5 sustainable clothing manufacturing process

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I have used this source to inform my project on ways of which Jacquemus as a brand could implement sustainability into their supply chain. For example materials used, design processes and garment life cycle which I have included in my sourcing strategy. I have chosen to use sustainable and organic materials which my chosen factory supplies, digital design and sampling processes using clo3d and a resale initiative to promote circularity within the garment life cycle.

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5 sustainable clothing manufacturing process – Waste2Fresh

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Worried about the pollution in the textile industry and the impact your clothes are having? Worry not, here are five ways the clothing manufacturing process can be environmentally supported and how companies are learning to de-risk their development.

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I have used this data found on GlobalData in the garment lifecycle section of my sourcing strategy. I discovered that The global apparel resale market size is worth $182.4 billion. For this reason I decided to create an internal resale platform exclusively for Jacquemus instead of third-party resale websites such as Vestiaire Collective or TheRealReal.

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Apparel Resale Market Size and Trend Analysis by Category, Segments and Region, Consumer Attitudes and Competitive Landscape, 2016-2026

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The global apparel resale market size is $182.4 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 16% from 2022 to 2026. The apparel resale market research report provides insights into the geographical differences in the way consumers shop for apparel resale, and which are the key countries driving growth in the market.

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I have used the Stella McCartney sustainability and circularity page to refer to and implement within Jacquemus as they are a designer brand but also sustainable. I discovered the shocking statistic of the clothing waste accumulated between today and 2025 will weigh as much as today’s world population.

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Technical materials are materials coming from non-renewable resources. They are inorganic or synthetic materials manufactured by humans such as nylon, polyester, plastics and metals. When optimally recycled, they can be used many times over without any loss in quality - staying in a continuous cycle.

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Critical Path infographic on a selected item from my range

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My completed Jacquemus SS/23 range plan

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Completed Range plan excel sheet

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L4 T2 PROJECT 3 LINE DETAIL Range Plan with VAT 2023

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Signed Student Authentication form

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Throughout every aspect of this project, I have found the brief extremely useful to refer back to ensuring that I cover all aspects the task requires and to stay on task. It has also helped my time management as I have deadlines for each deliverable to refer to.

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L4 BUYING PROJECT 3 THE EVOLUTION OF THE BUYING MODEL 2023 pdf-1

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Updated Cover Letter

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I have used this vogue article to base my individually developed product in my range around. This is a brand I have seen all over the SS/23 catwalk and have chosen to include it in my own collection as I believe this would be commercial. The article shows brands such as MiuMiu adopting this trend.

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Being risqué is no new thing in fashion, but right now it is en Vogue. The Y2K revival has pushed minimalist modesty aside and placed lacy lingerie front and centre. Prabal Gurung, Jonathan Simkhai, Tom Ford, Tory Burch and Victoria Beckham were among the designers that stripped back this season, while in London, Molly Goddard paired her signature tulle creations with bumble bee-striped undies.

Sheer looks hit the catwalks in a big way for autumn/winter 2022, too. Miu Miu, Dior and Fendi were prime examples, and sultry bras were seen through sequined dresses at Matthieu Blazy's Bottega Veneta debut. Elsewhere, Prada put granny pants back on the agenda with its gauzy mesh dresses, which were worn with full-coverage black briefs and tank tops to preserve (some) modesty. As for Valentino's sculptural hot-pink bra? It's best worn sans top according to Pierpaolo Piccioli, who styled it with an A-line skirt and opera gloves on the runway.

Ever since we've been allowed out again, celebrities and street-stylers have been quick to get their kit off - but this trend is for anyone and everyone who's willing. Ester Manas has made sheer looks her signature, and previously told Vogue: "I am making clothes to welcome everyone."

For former British Vogue beauty editor, Tish Weinstock, showing your body imbues confidence. "Becoming a mother has made me feel more comfortable in myself," she says. The new-season offerings are bountiful, but Tish's favourite naked dresses are vintage - namely from the 1920s or 1930s. "These are periods where women wouldn't be going out naked which is why it feels quite unexpected," she explains.

Tish is close friends with fellow naked dress-endorser Camille Charrière, who wore two sheer dresses at her Paris nuptials last year. Charrière said her vows in a sequined Celine couture dress, with her briefs visible, then changed into a custom upcycled lace gown by Harris Reed for the reception, which showed her La Perla underwear beneath. "I did have a moment of panic the day before, but when my husband saw the dress he immediately told me how much he loved it, and that's all that really mattered to me at the end of the day," she previously told British Vogue of her decision to go sheer for her wedding day.

Further encouragement comes courtesy of Julia Hobbs, senior projects editor at Vogue Club. "Visible underwear can lend a sense of dimension to a look, particularly if you're into wearing high-drama, head-to-toe black, a trend that's (once again) on the horizon for winter," she remarks. "I've found myself wanting to invest more in underwear this year," she adds, noting that she thinks of her underwear options more as jewellery. "They're pieces that can adorn your body, as opposed to being hidden."

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Is Visible Underwear About To Become The Norm Off The Catwalks?

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Being risqué is no new thing in fashion, but right now it is en Vogue. The Y2K revival has pushed minimalist modesty aside and placed lacy lingerie front and centre. Prabal Gurung, Jonathan Simkhai, Tom Ford, Tory Burch and Victoria Beckham were among the designers that stripped back this season, while in London, Molly Goddard paired her signature tulle creations with bumble bee-striped undies.

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To find out more about the Jacquemus brand and their sustainability rating I referred to their rating on GoodOnYou. This gives an overall rating of the brands efforts (WE AVOID) and individual ratings on their people (1/5), planet (1/5) and animal (2/5) efforts. I discovered that Jacquemus is not taking adequate steps to eliminate hazardous chemicals in its supply chain so this is something I will tackle in my sourcing strategy.

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JACQUEMUS - Sustainability Rating - Good On You

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JACQUEMUS’s environment rating is ‘very poor’. It uses few eco-friendly materials. There is no evidence it minimises textile waste. There is no evidence it reduces its carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chain. There is no evidence it has taken meaningful action to reduce or eliminate hazardous chemicals.Its labour rating is ‘very poor’. There is no evidence it has worker empowerment initiatives such as collective bargaining or rights to make a complaint. It sources its final stage of production from countries with extreme risk of labour abuse. There is no evidence it ensures payment of a living wage in its supply chain. It traces some of its supply chain. It does not disclose any policies or safeguards to protect suppliers and workers in its supply chain from the impacts of COVID-19. Its animal rating is ‘not good enough’. There is no evidence it has a policy to minimise the suffering of animals. It uses leather, exotic animal hair and wool. It does not use fur, down, angora, or exotic animal skin. There is no evidence it traces any animal product to the first stage of production.JACQUEMUS is rated ‘We avoid’ overall.

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I have used the information from this GlobalData report in my competitive shop report to find the current and expected value of the UK womenswear luxury market. It is predicted to rise to £1.2 billion by next year holding 5% of the entire womenswear market.

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Completed group Competetive shop report presentation

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These are my initial notes for the sourcing aspect of my project. Finding information on Jacquemus' current sourcing strategy was quite challenging as they release limited information due to being a private company. Jacquemus do however state the coo of each garment on their website and I discovered that the majority of their garments are produced in Europe. This was insightful to know as it impacted my decision of choosing a country of origin to focus on in my sourcing strategy, I was initially going to choose Romania however changed my mind to Portugal as I chose to produce the majority of my range in Portugal as jacquemus currently do.

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16personalities Myers Briggs Personality Test

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16personalities Myers Briggs Personality Test

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After completing the Myers Briggs personality test, I discovered that my personality type was a Turbulent Debater (ENTP-T).

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Talia - Turbulent Debater (ENTP-T) | 16Personalities

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Intuitive (N) and Thinking (T) personality types, known for their rationality, impartiality, and intellectual excellence.

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Buyers infographic

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My LinkedIn Profile

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750 million+ members | Manage your professional identity. Build and engage with your professional network. Access knowledge, insights and opportunities.

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My CV360 score of my updated CV

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My current updated CV

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SWOT analysis example

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This article shows the 17 sustainable development goals provided by the UN. I have used this source within my individual and group sourcing strategy. For example Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

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A style that I will be including as a key piece within my collection is cargo pants. In this report, it states that in 2022 the style went viral with an 120% increase compared to the previous year. It also states that the market is saturated with green, black and neutral options and to venture out with bolder colours. This will go hand in hand with the colour palette I have previously created and will be looking into featuring these pants in a bolder colourway. It also advises to drop this specific style early to beat competition so I will be planning to launch my collection around March/April.

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Supply Chain roadmap: Who is responsible? Worksheet-

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Supply Chain roadmap: Who is responsible? Worksheet-

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John Lewis Report: How we shop, live and look 2022

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John Lewis Report: How we shop, live and look 2022

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