Exporters in the Philippines have maintained a strong foothold in the highly competitive Christmas decorations industry, due mainly to their focus on exclusive and innovative handcrafted products.

The creative use of natural and indigenous materials is also a key factor that distinguishes suppliers from their competitors in mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Overseas shipments of Christmas decorations from the Philippines remain stable, growing at a modest 1 to 3 percent annually over the past few years. The industry is slowly recovering from the significant decline in export revenue in 2001 and the Asian financial crisis, when overall shipment value dropped by more than 30 percent.

Since then, companies have increased efforts to attract new buyers and remain competitive, upgrading designs through more elaborate handcrafting techniques and material innovation. Most are also providing value added services, with an emphasis on flexible order quantities and prompt delivery.

Despite the challenges of rising production costs and a volatile currency, overseas demand is expected to strengthen steadily over the next few years.

The following are some of the key trends we see in the Philippines' Christmas decorations industry:

• Exports in the line are expected to rise moderately in 2008, with increased demand coming mainly from Europe.
• Companies will continue to release mostly midrange to high-end designs, highlighting unique craftsmanship and ornate details.
• For 2008, suppliers are focusing product development on functional tabletop ornaments, a line that is expected to be in high demand. Makers will also launch styles with modern color schemes and motifs.
• Most companies will increase export prices by more than 10 percent in the first half of 2008 as raw material and operating costs continue to escalate.

This report covers the four major types of Christmas decorations produced in the Philippines, namely outdoor, tree, wall-mounted or hanging, and tabletop ornaments. Rather than just focusing on only one type, most suppliers offer a diverse range encompassing three or four categories.

Often, companies specialize in a certain handcrafting technique, treatment or use of material and apply these to various styles.

Weaving, stenciling, embossing and tole painting are among the widely used finishing methods, and while makers use a variety of accessories and trims, PVC, resin and GI sheet are the most common materials.

The Products & Prices section in this report details the features and price ranges of Christmas decorations made in the Philippines. This includes the latest trends in style, colors, themes and functions.

The Industry Overview discusses key issues affecting exporters and elaborates on the composition of the industry, highlighting key characteristics of the different types of suppliers.

The majority of Christmas decoration suppliers in the Philippines are privately owned and a few are foreign-invested.

The report reflects this nature of the industry with about 92 percent of the suppliers featured wholly Philippine-owned. Export production is concentrated in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, where the majority of the companies interviewed for this report are based or have production facilities.