APAC's emerging markets to spur revival of jeans retail market

India’s market is driven by large investments by retailers on online platforms.

The emerging markets across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region are set to play a crucial role in the revival of the global jeans retailing market to its pre-pandemic level growth by 2022, according to a report from GlobalData.

The global jeans market grew at a CAGR of 0.5% between 2014-2019 to reach $74b. However, lockdowns led to store closures, which dampened the overall apparel spend as people’s lifestyles changed to prefer comfortable clothing to be worn at home.

“APAC registered a growth in demand for denim over the years supported by rapid urbanization, cheaper connectivity, growing investment in the digital space and a strong domestic demand,” GlobalData’s retail analyst Ayan Gangopadhyay said.

Within the region, India is forecast to grow the fastest, driven by large investments by international and local retailers on online platforms. Further, the men's jeans market is larger than the women’s market, attributed to the casualization of the workplace.

“Brands need to encourage women to buy more using strategies such as incorporating comfort in jeans by using softer fabrics, going beyond the conventional size ranges, as well as offering the opportunity to customize products based on personal preferences,” Gangopadhyay said.

Gangopadhyay recommended for retailers to look into sustainable sourcing as jeans have a higher water usage and overall environmental impact compared to other apparels. He also advised incorporating more stretch and comfort in jeans.

“With the rising work- from-home initiated by several employers globally, the demand for comfortable clothing has significantly increased. This comes along with consumers preferring athleisure more to wear casually as well as while working out,” he said.