Comforter-quilt market expands as lifestyle changes

Consumers in Bangladesh are increasingly switching to comforters, quilts and blankets from traditional duvets in order to stay warm throughout the chillier winter nights and amid a change in lifestyle, drawing a substantial investments and big companies to the segment.

About 100 companies, including a dozen of big corporations, have invested heavily in the business in the last five years.

With an annual increase of 15 per cent to 20 per cent in the last five years, the market size of locally manufactured comforters, quilts and blankets now stands at Tk 500 crore, according to industry people.

Pran-RFL Group, HomeTex, Swan, Apex, Karmo, Bengal, and EuroAsia now manufacture the products.

Pran-RFL Group, which made the foray into the market in 2016, has so far invested about Tk 15 crore to set up production facilities for comforters alone. It also produces foams, mattresses, pillows, baby sets, and mosquito nets.

Starting on a limited scale initially, the company is now thinking of investing more. Its sales are growing more than 20 per cent annually.

Banga Building Materials Ltd, a company of RFL Group, has sold 70,000 comforters in the ongoing winter season.

"Currently, we are, however, unable to supply the products to the market despite a rising demand because we don't have fabrics to make them," said Kazi Rashedul Islam, executive director of Banga Building Materials.

In the past, these products were mainly imported from China, but the growing demand has encouraged local investors to set up factories. However, a big chunk of the demand, especially that for the blanket, is still met by imports.

Rashedur Rahim, national sales manager of Apex Foam, says demand for comforters and Chinese quilts has spiked in the last four years.

"People are opting for the products instead of traditional duvets since the former are more user-friendly. One can wash a comforter and it lasts longer."

Some local textile mills are also manufacturing the products.

Monir Hussain, a resident in the capital's Agargaon, purchased a comforter on Wednesday at Tk 2,500.

"Comforter is very light-weighted but warmer," he said.

Abu Raihan, head of corporate sales of Hometex Bangladesh Manufactory, said quilt sales have witnessed massive growth in Dhaka this winter.

"If we take the sales across the country into account, comforters and quilts' share will be 50-50."

He said a good number of quilts are also sold during summer.

People have rushed to retail outlets selling comforters, quilts and blankets in the last few days due to a significant drop in mercury amid the cold wave.

A mild cold wave is sweeping across several districts and it may continue, said the Bangladesh Meteorological Department yesterday.

Shwapno, the leading retail brand with 286 outlets in Bangladesh, sold about 53,000 comforters last year. It has already sold 53,400 comforters this year, with the winter season expected to last at least a couple of months.

"We are expecting a minimum 50 per cent growth in sales this year," said Sabbir Hasan Nasir, executive director of ACI Logistics, which owns Shwapno.

"There have been great responses from the customers since the beginning of the winter. Now the sales have surged."

The demand has ballooned by 50 per cent in the last few days. The price of a comforter at Shwapno ranges from Tk 1,500 to Tk 2,100.

Shwapno sources the products from local suppliers who have their own production facilities.

Momtaz Kabir, the proprietor of Makshud Bedding store that manufactures traditional duvets in the capital's Nilkhet area, says sales for traditional duvets have plummeted due to a higher demand for comforters and quilts.

"Besides, a duvet costs 30 per cent more than a comforter, which has driven down the sales."