Cotton Traders' sales soar

The British leisurewear concern, Cotton Traders, has reported its most successful Christmas season in its 18-year history. Sales for the four weeks up to Christmas-day 2004 were up by 28%. The company, which offers mail order, wholesale and retail shopping, said that all areas of business saw "incredible growth". Mail order increased by 47%, wholesale climbed by 44% and retail rose by 8%.

During the year 25% of sales through male order were carried out online. In December 2004, that number climbed to 32% of mail order sales made online, as opposed to 25% in the same period the previous year.