(TAP) - Meetings in BtoB mode between the large German group of mail order clothing "Otto International" and a pool of Tunisian manufacturers of jeans and denim were held Thursday afternoon at the House of the Exporter in Tunis.

According to the export promotion centre, "this action is part of the synergy between the central headquarters of Cepex and its network of representations abroad, and in this case that of Milan, which aims to generate export opportunities and industrial partnerships for the benefit of the productive fabric and Tunisian exporter.

The representatives of the Milan branch of this group, in this case "Otto International Scan-Thor" in charge of the Italian and Tunisian market, met with Tunisian denim producers who were provided with their samples and latest collections and creations.

"It is clear that the online and mail order niche has reached its peak during the Covid crisis (2020-2021), which has hit Europe and particularly Italy. Although the crisis has faded considerably, it has nevertheless disrupted certain practices and left an indelible mark on consumer behaviour, much to the delight of e-commerce players.

Surfing on this wave, "Otto International" has seen its orders explode in two years and has been forced to accommodate this exponential development. Tunisia is back on the map because it crystallises several advantageous factors such as geographical proximity, the breeding ground of fast fashion, the flexibility of the offer, the undeniable know-how of the production apparatus or at least of a good number of factories. During this visit, it is the denim sector that was at the centre of the interests of the Italian subsidiary of the group, taking into account the undeniable performances achieved by Tunisia (4th world supplier of the European Union with 17.7 million pieces in 2021 and 1st supplier of Italy with a market share of 29%)".

"Obviously, this visit will be emulated insofar as the group intends to extend its prospection to other clothing sectors such as ready-to-wear, jersey, hosiery, shoes and household linen in the very near future," CEPEX said.