Wednesday 24th of December 2008 02:40:42 AM
The shape and sizes of the general population around the world is changing leading to the growth in the demand for specialty sized clothing. Called “outsized” clothing, it refers to clothing made for people who wear sizes that are outside standard sizes. This includes petite sizes and sizes for plus-sized people and tall people. It is much easier now to find both undersized and over sized white t-shirts and other clothing today as a result!
The outsized clothing market is one of the fastest growing industry segments and so manufacturers and retailers are beginning to take notice. The focus is not just on creating these petite and large sizes. The focus is on creating a better image and more choices for clothing made in these sizes in terms of value, sophistication and styling. In the past, plus sized and tall clothing especially was seen as not being included in the fashion scene. But that is rapidly changing as people grow larger and retailers see increased profit potential.
There are new statistics which show the phenomenal growth in this industry segment. Outsized clothing now accounts for 20% of the total clothing market share. The report addresses the reasons for the increases in the need for larger sizes. They include nutritional changes leading to increased weight and more sedentary jobs and lifestyles.
The fastest growing size group in the outsized categories is the plus sizing. The petite and tall size group is growing but at a much smaller rate than the large size clothing segment. The tall size market is one of the most under-represented in the clothing industry though. This means there is a lot of room for growth in terms of styling and fashion offerings.
Because of the more limited clothing choices in the oversized market, manufacturers and retailers agree there is a lot of room for market expansion.
Last Updated: March 24, 2009