MELBOURNE: Melbourne Textile Agencies (MTA) has expanded its offer to fashion houses after clinching agreements with three leading Spanish fabric suppliers.
MTA director Katya Baxter said the prints and quality fabrics from Barcelona-region based textile specialists Sedatex, Textal A Ortiz and linings supplier RSP 5 – which supply European fashion Houses such as Zara, Mango and H&M - would give Australian labels an extra edge.
The collections included Spanish silks, stretch wovens, a large selection of prints, denims and stock service linings, while the latest performance fabrics range was scheduled to arrive soon, she said.
"Spanish fabrics are very strong in terms of design and I also think that if a garment carries that 'fabric made in Spain' tag it's a point of difference. Spain has a certain allure."
Offering value for money - prices range from €1.50 (A$3.00) a metre for linings to €8.50 for outer fabrics - the range offered a broad number of options for both women's and menswear. Showings to MTA's Melbourne and Brisbane clients (a trip to Sydney in the near future had also been scheduled) were successful, she said.
"The feedback I've had has been extremely good. Clients liked the prints and the quality, and the minimums are also low."
Having visited manufacturing facilities in Barcelona, Baxter added she was "very impressed" with the quality and environmental consciousness of their production.
"The Spanish know they are competing with China on price and with Italy on quality, but have really worked to find a point of difference."
With many of its clients in the high end retail chain sector, MTA's Spanish offer was part of a long term strategy to supply quality, wholesale fashion fabrics to local designers and apparel manufacturers.
"We have worked hard on establishing networks and positive working relationships with textile manufactures, and believe that adding Spanish suppliers to the portfolio benefits our customers as they now have access to very niche and exclusive product. These ranges are perfect for customers looking to differentiate themselves and move away from mainstream, low quality fabrics that are all too common in the local market."