Europe, This Winter's Fashion Item: Turtleneck

French President Macron's Turtleneck Message... Encouraging Energy Saving
Surge in Turtleneck Orders to China Amid Russian Natural Gas Threat

[Asia Economy Senior Reporter Cho Young-shin] Europe's Winter Fashion Item 'Turtleneck' Sweater

On the 3rd (local time), French President Emmanuel Macron appeared in a turtleneck instead of a tie suit during a national video address. A turtleneck is a garment that covers the entire neck. On the same day, at a diplomatic event welcoming Umaro Sissoco Embal?, President of Guinea-Bissau, President Macron also wore a turtleneck sweater.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Chinese media such as Dongfang Caifu Wang and Xiangguan Newspaper reported that President Macron's turtleneck fashion has become a hot topic. They conveyed that his fashion carries a national message about the need to reduce energy consumption.

The French government recommends heating indoor spaces only when the temperature falls below 19 degrees Celsius this winter. Due to threats of Russia cutting off natural gas supplies, Europe faces a situation where it must endure cold and war this winter.

Dongfang Caifu Wang stated that after the French president appeared wearing a turtleneck, the turtleneck has become a winter essential in Europe comparable to electric blankets and other heating products. They added that orders for winter clothing such as turtlenecks are flooding into China from Europe.

An official from a trading company located in Xiamen, Fujian Province, China, said, "Recently, the number of searches for turtleneck sweaters on our company's website has increased 13 times," adding that orders for turtleneck sweaters and cold-weather clothing from Europe have surged. The official mentioned that sample orders were received in April, and factory workers have been working overtime since May, noting that it takes 2 to 3 months from order to production and shipping, so ordering now would be too late.

An official from a trading company in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, said, "This year, European customer orders were only about two-thirds of last year's, but recently orders have suddenly increased significantly," adding, "Besides turtlenecks, orders for cold-weather shoes and thick coats have also surged."

Orders for cold-weather clothing from Europe are also confirmed by statistics. According to the Chinese e-commerce platform AliExpress, orders for thermal underwear from Europe increased by 246% compared to the previous month. Among European countries, France showed the highest increase rate at 372%, followed by Italy (365%) and Germany (362%).

AliExpress expects that during China's largest shopping event, Guanggun Festival (November 11), cold-weather clothing, electric heaters, and electric hot water mats will be the most popular items.

Besides winter clothing, sales of thermos bottles have surged by 300% compared to the previous month, and companies producing Chinese winter products are enjoying a boom due to Europe's natural gas shortage and the resulting energy crisis.