ItÂ’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…everywhere (read: Indian factories) you goÂ…

This year at the swank stores of New York and London, Christmas and New Year shoppers will pick up scores of gifts made in India.

Now I almost didnÂ’t blog about this, but the next line made me fall out of my recliner:

Almost all top-end stores like Macy’s, Wal-Mart, Selfridges and Bloomingdale are buying hundreds of gifts from the country in a new genre of outsourcing.

WAL-MART? Are you bleedinÂ’ kidding me? Top-end, my kundi. I wonder if thatÂ’s the first time the evil discounter has been mentioned in the same breath as BloomieÂ’sÂ…

Â…”We’ve got orders for seven to eight items – mostly cushions, pillows, Christmas tree hangings and stockings,” Nebu Jacob, a gift manufacturer, told IANS.

Jacob’s Lakshmi Caminse, whose factory is in Gurgaon, produces popular gifts like beaded mats and silk napkins and supplies names like Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale and Selfridges.

What, no sales to Wal-mart? (like you couldÂ’ve resistedÂ…)The holidays are very important to these exporters:

Gifts made in India sell between $50-500.

Â…Around 25 percent of India’s total garments exports of around Rs.30 billion ($660 million) comes from the Christmas and New Year season.

“Garments, home furnishings with patch works, embroidery and embellishments are very popular,” said Sudhir Dhingra whose Orient Crafts is one of the top exporters with a turnover of Rs. 5 billion ($110 million).

But donÂ’t get too complacent, Misters Jacob and DhingraÂ…

Â…Though Indian gifts are very popular, competition is growing. “We have competition from China, the Philippines, Mexico and even Sri Lanka,” said Dhingra.

“But till now, our traditional embroideries and crafts heritage has given us an edge. Out items are more innovative and attractive.”

This last quote reminds me of the Varanasi post, because of its desire for more governmentÂ…

Now, he said, a government push could really boost business. “A little help from the government could make us a reckoning force. Not many countries can match our variety, craftsmanship and expertise.”

Only six more shopping weeks ‘til Consumer-mas!

via HT