Dickies to diversify into school-wear market

Dickies India, an industry work-wear apparel manufacturer, is diversifying into the school-wear market in the next academic year.

The company will also start selling Dickies Occupational Work-wear (DOW) through e-commerce platforms Amazon, Myntra, Snapdeal and Jabong by the end of September.

Speaking on the sidelines of a trade show on Occupational Safety and Health, Karthikeya R Reddy, Chief Executive Officer and Director, ID Overseas Pvt Ltd, said the Bengaluru-based apparel manufacturer is an exclusive licensee of Williamson-Dickie Mfg Co, an American apparel manufacturing company specialising in work-wear.

The global work-wear manufacturer entered the Indian market in November 2014 through the licensing agreement. One of the reasons for Dickies entering the school segment is the low satisfaction level over school-wear products.

Another focus area for the apparel manufacturer is in the footwear segment due to increase in demand for quality footwear.

“People who are on their feet for a long time, especially medical professionals and workers in manufacturing sector, typically buy three pairs of shoes a year,” Reddy said.

The footwear designs of the company are based on occupation, gender and come in two colours – black and white. There is a separate footwear line for manufacturing sector, which was launched in August.

Micheal Penn, Senior Vice-President of International Sales, Worldwide Licensing and Marketing, Dickies, said India is a very important market as a lot of manufacturing and mining take place in the country, making it an ideal place for the company to expand.

MoUs have already been signed with five hospitals for supply of medical apparels and shoes. Medical apparel segment, concentrated in South India now, will be expanded to the rest of the country by next year.

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