4. • Boots is considered to be one of the most prominent and recognised retailers within the United
Kingdom. Not only is the company a recognised chemist but also sells cosmetics, toiletries, and
non-prescription drugs. (Reference for Business, 2016).
• Although the company has had an increasing expansion abroad, 95% of the companies sales
originate in its’ founding country, the United Kingdom. (Reference for Business, 2016).
• The brand was fully founded in the 1870’s by the son of John Boot (Jesse Boot), who took over
running his fathers’ small shop with his mum in 1860 after his father had died. The brand grew
quickly, and by 1874, Jesse was running the shop by himself and had decided to retail medicines
(Reference for Business, 2016).
• The brands’ mission statement is ‘To be the UK’s most socially responsible retailer in the health
and beauty market’, they will do this by:
a. Improving the health of our customers and their communities
b. Protecting the environment
c. Leading the development of sustainable products
d. Placing our customers and colleagues at the heart of our business.
Company
History
(Rachel)
(Boots, no date: Online)
4)
5. • Boots Mini Club sells clothes for babies and children from 0 to 6 years.
• The age range for babies clothes is 0-12 months, for ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ it is 9 months- 6
years.
• The brand stock various different collections and trends not only online, but in-store as
well. Some of the collections they stock include; mini club ‘bows & arrows’, ‘tiny
treasures’, and ‘all dressed up’.
• They also offer a ‘character shop’ which is a section of the children's brand which
stocks various garments from other brands including; Disney, Peppa Pig and Thomas
the Tank Engine. This is an effective marketing technique used by the brand as the
vast majority of children engage with brands such Disney and Peppa Pig.
• The prices of the brands’ garments range from £2 on a boys’ polo top to £28 on a
girls’ coat. However, most of the garments are priced within the range of £5-£10 which
would make them affordable to a lot of families.
• Another factor which reinforces their aim to be affordable is that a lot of their clothes
and accessories are included in various promotional offers including
‘Buy 1 get 2nd half price’, ‘ 2 for £8 on selected clothing’ etc.
(Rachel)
Brand
Overview
(Boots Mini Club, 2016: Online)
5)
7. Customer
Profile
(Rachel)7)
• Gender: Men & Women (primarily women)
• Age: 25-40
• Social Grade: C2 (skilled working class)/ D (working class)
• Income level: £18,000 or above
• Occupation: Full time parents, part-time job holders, retail assistants,
secretaries, cashiers, child care workers, chef, teaching assistant etc.
• Demographic: Working class men and women (parents), who live all over the
country,
• Lifestyle: Daily life consists mainly of looking after children and working, whether
that be part-time or full-time.
• Consumer Habits: Shopping for clothes for their children once every 2-3 months
at mass market retailers. Whilst they are looking for fashionable products their
main concern is affordability as children go through clothes quickly.
13. Fabric
(NIKITTA)
Our garment is made from 100% cotton
which is good because there are no extra
fibres or materials used. Different or extra
materials could effect how the garment
keeps its shape or how it stretches. Our
garments design is a fully fashioned jacquard
knit. With being a baby grow it has to meet a
lot more criteria's such as being soft and
meeting all of the babies needs. Cotton is a
fabric that is natural too so this is also good
for the baby.
13)
14. 100% Cotton
100% Cotton is a durable, pre-shrunk, colourproof cotton fabric that is
mainly used in craftsman clothing. Advantages of cotton are, soft and
comfortable and allows fully body movement within the garment.
Cotton as a natural fibre has many characteristics such as;
Machine washable- which is good as with this garment being 100% cotton
and being for a baby. So if the baby grow gets dirty it can be easily clean.
Comfortable and Soft- it is important that the baby grow is comfortable for
the baby to be in all day. It is also essential that it is soft because the
garment is for a baby.
Colour Retention- it is key that the baby grow keeps its colour because it
could harm the baby if the colour runs on to their skin so it is good that the
baby grow is made out of 100% cotton material.
(NIKITTA)14)
15. Country
of Origin
(SHANNON)
• China is the worlds largest population with over 10 million people employed in the
clothing industry.
• China exports an estimated $1.2 billion worth of goods each year making it one of
the fastest growing economies world wide.
• Although there has been an evident decline in cotton production, China still
remains the World’s leading producer and exporter of cotton.
• Boots is not a specialised apparel brand but offers a wide variety of products in
store and online. The potential reason for using China as their source of
manufacturing for their garments could be down to their experienced and skilled
workers who are able to meet deadlines.
• The annual cycle of merchandising differs between counties and within the
countries, relating to cultural events and celebrations. During Chinese New Year,
Chins will stop production one week before and after, during this time no work is
done and apparel can not be manufactured or shipped out so companies may have
to alter their lead times for this.
• “Traditionally, out sourcing labour on a global basis has kept costs low, but rising
transport costs, unstable geo-political situations, currency fluctuations, volatile
materials costs and improving labour standards/costs in emerging economies spell
change. Landed cost between China and the UK is now just a 16% differential.”
• Products can be produced cheap due to cheap labour, cheap fabrics and cheap
manufacturing however, recently China has been exposed for the lack of safety
workers are catered with and the unstable working environment they are in. China’s
minimum wage is slowly but consistently increasing over recent years in many
popular areas of China.
• China is located Southeast Asia, along the coast line of the Pacific Ocean.
• China is the largest cotton producing country making it cheap to manufacture and export
to the UK which could be a key reason for Boots decision to use China as their
supplier. Although China is popular for manufacturing garments that are sold
in the UK, it is facing competition from other countries such as Bangladesh,
Turkey and Vietnam.
15)
16. Childrenswear
Market
(SHANNON)
Mintel forecasts that the children’s wear sector will grow by 15.3%
to reach 7.8 billion by 2019.
At the same time, family sizes are getting smaller, with a 5% increase in the
number of one-child families in Britain to 47% over the last 16 years, while that of
families with three or more children fell by 3% to 14%. More single-child families
mean that parents can spend more on items for their offspring, including clothes.
Within the Children’s wear market, the main focus is the safety and fit for purpose of the garment for the consumer. Baby wear
must meet the necessary safety guidelines which contains more requirements than for adult clothing due to their vulnerability
and lack of understanding.
Market Value = 400.4 million per year. Supermarkets and value retailers still remain
dominating the children’s clothing sector.
Infants: 0 – 2 years
Girls Clothing: 2 – 14 years
Boys Clothing: 2 – 14 years
Quality of clothing and comfort are the two most prioritised aspects parents have when buying garments for their infant. Fashion
forward garments and designer brands are not considered a necessity when considering purchasing for infants due to their
quick growth during their first few years.
“Some 73% of children’s wear buyers have bought clothes for babies and children online, rising to 90% of
parents with children aged 0-3. Asda and Next are the most popular places to purchase online.”
16)
18. Trims &
Components
(NIKITTA)
• Components featured in the garment
are; (9 pink buttons- 7 light pink round
buttons, 2 dark pink heart shaped
buttons).
• Trims used within the garments are;
(Hem- 4 knitted stretch cotton hems on
the cuffs of the sleeves and the legs).
“Front”
“Back”
18)
19. • It is increasingly important that companies are ethical in their approach to
all aspects of their business. It could be considered that it is even more
important for a company like Boots to do this as they sell such a variety of
products, they are almost a number of different companies within the
brand, Boots.
• According to the Ethical Fashion Forum, an ethical brand would be one that
‘strives to take an active role in poverty reduction, sustainable livelihood
creation, minimising and counteracting environmental concerns’ (Ethical
Fashion Forum, no date: Online).
• In terms of Corporate Social Responsibility, Boots have a clear strategy to
make sure their children’s clothing line ‘Mini Club Baby’ follows all of these
ethical considerations.
Ethical &
Sustainability
(rACHEL)19)
20. Figure 1: (Boots, 2016: Online)
Whilst they do not go into the details of their individual targets,
the brand say they have a long term plan to pass
‘actions, targets and milestones against which performance is monitored
and reported’ in these four key areas.
(Boots, 2016: Online)
(rACHEL)20)
21. 1. Make sure materials and ingredients are fully traceable back to their origin.
2. When examined, include sustainability information as well
as traceability and biodiversity impact information when
assessed.
1. Online database can be used to trace ingredient information and access the
sustainability risks of raw materials used in Boots brand products.
2. Make sure working conditions in factories are fair as there have been many
past reports on unfair conditions and ‘sweat shop’ antics, long hours and
small wages.
3. To make sure this doesn’t happen, Boots should develop a close working
relationship with suppliers in China so feedback can be heard and taken on
board.
Considerations
(CHLOE)21)
22. It is extremely important that manufacturers of children’s clothing follow the
general product safety regulations for childrenswear closely, as children are at a
higher risk of being injured or harmed by their clothing. Whether it is from draw
cords on hooded tops or from the high level of flammability of the fabric used.
There are various specifications that the manufacturer should follow when
producing garments for young children e.g. 0-7 years; including:
a. There must be no drawstrings or cords in the hood/neck area.
b. Any small parts on the clothing e.g. buttons, beads, tassels etc. must be
secure must be secure as they can easily become a choking hazard.
c. Drawstrings on sleeves should not hang below the edge of the sleeve.
Safety
Regulation
(rACHEL)22)
23. About
The Product
• Knitwear – problem – smaller the size, more
risk to the child.
• Jacquard Knit – can produce real patterns –
no free set or yarns. Technical face and
technical back
• Fully fashioned knit
• Medium gauge, single jersey
• Additional safety features – buttons securely
sewn, fancy so the primary care giver does
not crush the baby
• Children’s wear market value = 400.4 mil per
year
(SHANNON)23)
24. (SHANNON)24)
BOOTS MINI CLUB
PRODUCT NAME PINK 068
PHOTO
PROMOTIONAL FEATURES Fully Fashioned Knit
SIZE 3-6 MONTHS
RETAIL PRICE £14 (In Sale for £4.20)
AMOUNT IN PACK 1
UNIT PRICE £5.60
PACKAGING Hanger and idenQficaQon sQcker
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN CHINA
COLOUR Primary: PINK Secondary: FUSCHIA, WHITE, LIGHT BLUE
FIBRE COMPOSITION 100% COTTON
WEIGHT Can hold up to 17.6lb
COMPONENTS 2 Fuschia plasQc heart shape bu_ons
7 Pink circled plasQc bu_ons
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Washable at 40
Garment
Specification
25. Points of
Measurement
FRONT Measurement in
Centimetres
Shoulder – Ankle 56.2 cm
Neckdrop – Bottom 51.1 cm
Top – Bottom 38.9 cm
Neck Line 34 cm
Hip Length 26.7 cm
Arm Hole Circumference 25.2 cm
Chest 24.6 cm
Sleeve Length 23.1 cm
Leg length – up to crotch 19.4 cm
Underarm 16.2 cm
Across Armhole 12.6 cm
Width of Neck 11.5 cm
Ankle Width 9.6 cm
Waist 8.4 cm
Bicep 9.7cm
Button Spacing 5.9cm
Hem 1.9cm
BACK Measurement in
Centimetres
Shoulder - Ankle 56.2cm
Neckdrop – Bottom 58.4cm
Top – Bottom 38.9 cm
Neck Line 34cm
Hip Length 26.7cm
Arm Hole
Circumference
25.2 cm
Chest
Sleeve Length 23.1 cm
Leg Length – Up to
Crotch
19.4cm
Underarm 16.2cm
Across Armhole 12.6cm
Width of Neck 11.5cm
Ankle Width 9.6cm
Waist 8.4cm
Arm - Arm 60.2cm
Back Neck – Crotch 37.1cm
(SHANNON)25)
26. Construction
Details
(Nikitta)
1. First, the manufactures chose the material that
the garment would be made out of.
2. Secondly, they would plan the patterning of
the garment by working out measurements for
each bit such as neck, legs, sleeves.
3. Thirdly, they then sampled the garment out of
sample material which then was their toile.
4. They then checked that all measurements and
the fit was ok.
5. Finally, they made the garment out of 100%
cotton and Jacquard knit.
26)
32. Packaging
& Labeling
(Nabilla & shannon)32)
“Front”
“Back”
Molded Plastic Hanger
• Machine Washable
at 40
• Do not bleach
• Iron at a warm
temperature
• Wash with similar
colours only
• Reshape whilst damp
• Tumble Dry on a low
heat
• Do not dry clean
33. Pilling Test
As our garment is a fully fashioned, single jersey, jacquard knit, testing the pilling resistance would be
appropriate as it is knitwear. This test is designed to analyse the products quality of fabric. With the standard
method using a random tumble pilling tester to determine the resistance to formation of pills. Pills are
effectively little balls of fabric collected together that remain stuck to the garment. It can make clothing look
worn out. When conducting the pilling test, the fabric remained in tact and not many pills, we therefore
concluded that the quality of the fabric was appropriate for an infant as their clothes do not last long because
of their frequent growth.
Testing & Fitness
for Purpose
It is vital that all necessary safety regulations are carried out when designing and
manufacturing an infant’s garment before displaying it in-store and online. If the
product was to have any safety faults it would have to go through the product recall
process which can be a problem for the retailer as it will promote the brand as being
unreliable. Safety regulations are priority when considering baby wear to their
vulnerability and lack of understanding to danger. Within infant wear, one-piece
garments with legs should be treated as pyjamas.
Garment Considerations:
Fashion vs Function
Children’s heads are large in proportion to their
bodies. This is important when designing necklines
to ensure that the garment will fit over the head
without the child being at risk to strangulation.
Snag Test
A snag test is appropriate to conduct on our knitwear garment to test the strength
of the stitching. A snag occurs when a sharp object of some sort breaks the fibres
causing the knit to come undone. Sharp fingernails or toenails can cause
snagging within a fully knitted garment very easily so it is important the snag
resistance is tested.
When testing our garment for snagging resistance, it was not very efficient and
fibres within the yarn began to break quickly. However, the purpose of the baby
grow is comfort for a young infant using single jersey fabric.
(SHANNON)
1. Washing
instructions at 40
2. Testing of
Neckline
3. Testing of
security of buttons
4. Snag Test
5. Piling Test
Part of Garment Weight
Whole garment
including bu_ons
123.92g
Garment without
bu_ons
122.30 g
Weight of 7
Bu_ons
1.75 g
10x10
measurement
3.30 g
All buttons must be sewn firmly to the
garment to prevent any choking
hazards. For example, babies conform to
the trial and error theory, often putting
objects in their mouths so it is important
that the buttons can not be pulled from
the baby grow as they are small enough
for a baby to swallow. Buttons should be
at a good quality and not fault during
wear or when being washed. The buttons
must be free from lead content as it is
harmful if a child puts it in their mouth
also.
Class 3: Rapid and Intense Burning
How is it regulated?
“UK Regulation “The Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985, S.I.
2043 & Amendment 1987, S.I. 286 , Children’s Nightwear’s -
Garments for Children’s Over 3 Months & Under 13 Year of Age,
Babies’ Garments Exclusively for Babies Under 3 Months Must
Contain a Permanent Label Showing whether or not They Meet
Flammability Standard”.”
It is analysed by:
i) 16CFR1610 (ASTM D1230) for General Apparel Requirements;
and ii) BS5438:1989 with BS5722:1991, BS EN ISO 6940:2004 and
BS ISO 1103:2007, for Children´s Nightwear Requirements.
33)
Laboratory tests
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2016].
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Last Accessed 17th Apr 2016.
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34)
