The once prosperous Austrian local apparel industry has mostly shut down its lights and factories under the competition from the wave of globalization. According to statistics from the Austrian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WKO), currently Austria’s own brand manufacturers There are about 130 apparel manufacturers with 7,400 employees. The total turnover in 2018 was about 480 million euros (down 3% from the previous year). About 70% of the products are exported, mainly to Germany, Poland, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, USA, UK, Spain, Russia.
There are currently 237 textile factories in Austria, employing approximately 11,700 employees. More than 80% of the products in this industry are exported, 83% of which are exported to Europe (EU member states account for 75.46% of the total), and 10.15% are exported to Africa. The Austrian embroidery industry is unique and of high quality, and is a pillar of the textile industry. There are currently 121 manufacturers of embroidered textiles, most of which are located in Voraberg, the westernmost part of Austria. Special fabrics are another pillar of the Austrian textile industry. For example, the fabric “Tencel” produced by the “Lenzing Group” sells well all over the world.
In addition to textiles for the garment industry, the Austrian textile industry also produces technical textiles, such as protective textiles, industrial textiles, medical textiles, automotive and aircraft interior textiles, etc. All have leading companies in Europe. The following are Austria’s distinctive and internationally renowned textile and apparel companies:
1. Northland: Founded in Steilbon, Austria in 1973, it is currently headquartered in Austria. The second largest city is Graz. The company’s (same brand name) main products are outdoor leisure sportswear and equipment. Northland was still a “domestic market” brand until the end of the last century and was little known internationally. In 2001, the company was a pioneer in the international industry and first planted its flag in China by setting up outdoor sportswear and equipment stores. Since then, it has gradually established a global reputation and currently has more than 500 branches and counters in China. Northland has branches or distributors in 37 countries around the world. In addition to China, its main markets include Europe, South America, and Central Asia. Its product lines include clothing, shoes, tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, travel bags, and camping. Equipment and accessories, etc.
2.Sportalm: This company was founded in 1953. It started with the production of ski clothing. After three generations of operation, it has developed into three major product lines: snow sports clothing. , Austrian traditional clothing (Tracht) and fashionable clothing. The main functions of Sportalm’s head office in Kitzbühl are design, management and marketing centers. The company’s production lines are distributed in the following countries according to textile fabric classification:
(1 ) Woven fabrics: Bulgaria; (2) Knitted fabrics and sportswear fabrics (Jersey): Turkey, Portugal; (3) Denim fabrics: Italy, Turkey.
Sportalm currently has branches or agents in 26 countries around the world. Its main revenue comes from fashion, accounting for more than 60% of the company’s total annual sales. In addition, the Sportalm brand of snow sportswear has successfully transformed into the high-priced market segment and has a fixed consumer group, making a name for itself in the increasingly competitive winter sportswear industry.
3. Airfield: Walter Moser GmbH, an Austrian company headquartered in Seewalchenam Attersee, Austria, founded an outdoor sports jacket with the brand “Air” in 1981. In 1995, the company established another brand “Airfield”, specializing in the production of high-end women’s clothing. Later, Walter Moser Company hired international superstars Claudia Schiffer, Sharon Stone, and Helena Christensen as Airfield brand spokespersons, and thus created a reputation in the world. Airfield has become one of the high-end winter outdoor casual clothing brands for European ladies, with branches in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Canada.
In addition to the novel designs and high-quality materials, Airfield clothing is most loved by customers because it comes in a wide range of sizes to suit all body types. In addition, the brand’s design team also considers that winter clothing is thicker and heavier, making it more inconvenient to squat or sit when wearing it. Therefore, during pattern making and tailoring, special designs are made to make the wearer comfortable regardless of any movement.
4. Wallmann Textil: Founded in 1957 in the Alpine town of Hohenems, the town is world-renowned for its handmade lace and shirts. The company has special lace manufacturing technology, so it develops up to 130 kinds of shirts and lace shirts every season. Because it insists on using natural cotton, linen, silk and other materials, with fashionable and elegant tailoring, it is loved by international knitting ladies. Wallmann has been making men’s shirts since 1987. Its brand is more diversified and currently has branches in more than 20 European countries.
5. Giesswein was founded in 1954. In response to the shortage of materials after World War II, the GIESSWEIN couple, with the purpose of cherishing resources, turned wool, cotton, Natural textiles such as linen and silk are developed and designed using novel technologies. Among them, knitted fabrics made of compressed wool are the most popular and have become the largest wool users in Austria. The exclusive “compressed wool technology” is also highly regarded. The industry is recognized around the world and has obtained multiple patents, and named this technology “WALK”! Since its first display in Paris in 1986, it is now sold in Paris, Milan, New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, etc.
6. Löffler was founded in 1947 in Riedim Innkreis, a small town on the German-Austrian border.��The company started with unbranded knitted clothing. After entering the sports and leisure clothing market, it gradually made a name for itself with its own brand Löffler. In addition to the general commercial market, this company also has government units, sports associations, and organizations as its important customers. For example, most of the procurement of sportswear and winter functional military uniforms used by the Austrian military are won by this company. In addition, various sportswear used by various national sports associations in Austria are also often purchased from this company. For example, Austrian ski athletes often win international competition awards, and the Austrian snow sports national team wears sportswear with Löffler trademarks, which invisibly serves as international advertising for the company. Löffler’s turnover in 2018 was 27 million euros, 60% of which was exports.
7. Lenzing was founded in 1938 and is headquartered in Lenzing, Upper Austria. In 2017, the group’s turnover was approximately 3.7 billion euros, net profit before interest and tax (EBIT) was 2.2 billion euros, fiber sales volume was approximately 890,000 metric tons, and nearly 7,700 employees. Lenzing has offices in Germany, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, the United States, Indonesia, India, and Nanjing production lines, and has business offices in New York, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Jakarta and Coimbatore (India). Industrial status: “Viscose” and “Modal regenerated fiber” developed by Lenzing in recent years ) and “Tencel” (Tencel) are both well-received and popular. Even after expanding the production line several times, the supply is still in short supply. The group is also the only one in the world that can mass-produce the above three types of man-made fiber products. Lenzing has been selected as the The most successful company in Upper Austria.
