Brightview: Taking on the world

With a client list ranging from high fashion to work wear and a growing network of offices across the globe, it seems there's no challenge Brightview Textile is not prepared to take on, as Belinda Smart reports.

Australia's best known brands including Sportsgirl, Sussan, Big W, Millers, Glassons, One Teaspoon, Valleygirl, Joi, Bebe and 7 Deadly Sins may cater to diverse target markets, but they have one thing in common; all have at one time or another been clients of Sydney based manufacturing, design and development company Brightview Textile.

Brightview's is not just an Australian story however. With around 70 per cent of product ending up outside the Australian market, the family owned and operated company is making its mark globally, exporting garments around the world from China, where it owns three factories specialising in shirting, knitting and wovens respectively.

Indeed Brightview's Australian presence, launched 10 years ago, is the product of a far flung diaspora from China that saw managing director Nick Zhang transferring to Sydney, his eldest brother James staying on at head office in Shenyang and middle brother Jack heading to North America to set up in Toronto, Canada.

As Brightview accounts manager Bat-Ami Ungar jokes, there was something pre-ordained about the move.
"It seems that fate brought Nick here to our shores... as well as the fact that Australia has no quotas," she quips.

Destiny seems to have dealt Nick Zhang and his brothers a good hand thus far. Last year's export figures exceeded 1.5 million garments, the company has grown by around 50 per cent over the past decade and has opened offices in the north and south of China and Germany, while a New York branch will open in August this year, securing a vital foothold in the US. But aside from its global reach, the company's unique selling point lies in its breadth of scope, Ungar claims.

"Compared to factories in China we're medium in size but unlike other companies we have many joint ventures throughout China. We are quite diverse in our product range as we make both men's and women's garments, silk products, uniforms and protective work wear. We have also recently launched our own product development business."
Now running for around a year, the development operation accounts for around 30 per cent of total business. With three proprietary labels across womenswear and menswear in the "While we are still new to the world of product development we prefer to see this as an asset as it gives us a fresh approach. We source from every corner of the globe to make sure we offer a point of difference. Unlike other development companies we also directly manufacture the product we are selling so there are no extra costs or agent fees incurred to our clients."

Product development of men's and womenswear for North America and Europe has had a desirable spin-off; the stream of samples and fabrications winging their way to Australia from Brightview's North American and European offices allowing it to stay close to overseas trends. Such a lean, responsive business model is a necessity in the cut-throat global rag trade, Ungar claims.

"Our biggest current challenge is catering to shrinking lead times, particularly with women's fashions. We are very lucky to have our offices in the US and Europe as we are able to receive new product almost weekly which helps us to overcome these time constraints."

Challenges notwithstanding, this is one company apparently in no danger of standing still.

"Brightview is constantly expanding and after our New York office opens later this year our next goal will be to open a branch in the UK. We imagine three to five years is a realistic time frame, particularly as our European office has already been contacted by several companies in London."