KARACHI, Aug 10: Despite a significant increase in prices, sales of branded items have picked up pace as Eid approaches.

Branded good producers and their retailers said that people are switching over to high priced items as they cannot compromise on quality by purchasing low priced items.

Director Bonanza Garments Hanif Bilwani said his sales in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Islamabad have recorded 30-40 per cent growth this year as compared to last year while sales in Lahore went up by 20 per cent.

He said his company had reduced the prices by five to 10 per cent on various items due to lowering of cost because of decline in cotton and polyester rates in the last two years.

Bilwani said that branded items are fast making inroads in our society due to quality of fabric.

Chief Executive Officer of leading international brand retailer, Team A Venture Limited Yasin Paracha said he cannot give any exact percentage but sales of almost all branded items have been going strong prior and during Ramazan. He said that the sales will further jump in the last week before Eid ul Fitr.

He said he cannot comment about the actual price increase in various items but the hike in local brands is definitely not substantial in the last one year. “People are changing their focus towards purchasing branded items,” he claimed.

Like lawn promotion, billboards have of leading designers and textile mills have emerged in the main through fares of the city mainly for ladies and gents shalwar kameez.

A leading branded item producer of shalwar kameez at Hyderi market said that his overall sales have improved by 30 per cent during the current Eid shopping season. A salesman at Bata store also said about satisfactory sales this season.

Chairman All Karachi Tajir Itehad Atiq Mir, in a statement on Friday, said that sales of Eid related items have already crossed Rs20 billion in the first 20 days of Ramazan.

He attributed good sales to improved law and order situation in the first 20 days of the holy month. Sales will further increase if the law and order situation remains calm in the next few days.

“I think this year’s Eid sales season has remained the best in the last five years period in which most of the traders are easily meeting their sales targets,” he added.

Meanwhile, many tailors have already closed down the booking from first of Ramazan, are charging enhanced stitching charges compared to last year.

A ladies tailor in F.B. Area said that he is charging Rs50 more per suit (plain) as compared to Rs300 last year while charges for a fancy suit with laces and other decorative items is minimum Rs500-600.

Depending on the areas, some ladies tailors are taking Rs 500 for plain suit stitching and demand Rs800-1,500 for fancy stitching in posh areas.

Gents tailors are charging Rs 500-600 per suit even for children suits as compared to Rs 400-450 last year, linking charges hike to rising shop rent and electricity and labour charges.

A random market survey reveals that in leading stores the Rs1,000-1,200 gents ready made kurta does not hold any value of consumers’ money due to lack of fabric quality and with no embroidery work.

Two types of branded gents’ shalwar kameez are available. One carries price tag between Rs2,500-3,500 while the price of other varieties (known brands) hovers between Rs4,500 to Rs8,000.

Same is the case with children wear. People can buy boys’ shalwar kameez suits starting from Rs 2,200 in leading stores while known designers’ suits carries price between Rs 3,000-4,000.A designers’ wear lawn suit carries price between Rs4,000-Rs 5,000 while some designers’ wear and leading textile mill lawn suits cost more than Rs5,000.