Several lingerie companies in the Podlaskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Podkarpackie regions find strength in collaborating on communication and marketing stratgies, leading to a 15 % increase in sales and a prize from the Polish Textile Association.
- 25 January 2016
The project proved to be a great success. It allowed the cluster to present its products both at home and abroad. This resulted in measurable benefits, a positive impact on development of cooperation between the cluster members, and also the creation of a joint innovative line of lingerie ‘Silver Collection’.
In 2008 the Podlachia Lingerie Cluster started as seven production companies and one distribution company aiming to strengthen cooperation and increase awareness for their brands. The Cluster grew to 17 member companies that are stronger in both domestic and international markets. They currently export to 50 countries across 6 continents, a more than 50 % increase from 2008.
Communicating together
The Cluster’s success is thanks to two main factors: improved communication with each other and the public and increased access to innovative trends. The lingerie companies improved internal communication via an interactive website and a database with contracting parties, while also improving communication with partners. They also decided to do joint branding and promotional activities to increase consumer awareness.
Partners of the Cluster, such as the Innovation and Development Promotion Centre, Tomas Consulting S.A., the University of Finance and Management in Białystok, the PIOT Foundation of Fashion and Industry and the Technical and General Education School Complex with Integrated Departments in Białystok, allow for on-going innovation and joint operations in international markets.
Innovation and results
In addition to better communication, the Cluster decided to purchase know-how (i.e. trend books) and the latest lingerie patterns to appeal to a trend-conscious market. Through a joint initiative, they created an innovative collection, the Silver Collection, which manufactured lingerie using silver ions embedded in polymer fibres. This technology has antibacterial properties and does not cause allergies.
Two years after initial project funding, companies in the Cluster reported an 11 % increase in production, a 15 % increase in sales and a 6 % increase in employment. The Podlachia Lingerie Cluster won the Polish Textile Association title “Włókiennika 2013” and won a bronze badge in the NGPExellence clusters - Cluster Excellence in the Nordic Countries, Germany and Poland. Podlachia Lingerie Cluster meets the highest standards of cluster management developed by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (last survey - November 2015).
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Development of cooperation of the companies from the lingerie sector from the Eastern Poland regions” is 4 270 058 PLN (approximately EUR 1 028 929), of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund is contributing 3 266 595 PLN (approximately EUR 787 131) from the Operational Programme “Programme Development of Eastern Poland” under priority axis I: “Modern Economy” for the 2007 to 2013 programming period.