Friday, December 7, 2007

This will be the last issue of the Hosiery Insider…
as you currently know it.
Beginning 2008 we are combining the best of both
the Hosiery Insider and Hosiery News
to offer you more substantive information more often.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!

THE HOSIERY ASSOCIATION PROGRAMS / EVENTS

Talbot’s Novelty Tights: Babies- $14, Girls- $16

Kicking It Up for Holiday ’07: There’s Great News in Ho – Ho Hosiery

“The stockings were hung by the chimney with care…..”

Clearly, hosiery has been an integral part of holiday celebrations since the original Saint Nicholas reportedly tossed three coins down the fireplace of a trio of needy sisters. Each of the coins surreptitiously landed in three individual stockings that had been hung by the fire to dry, and today, children all over the world hang stockings to welcome a similar bounty.

In the modern interpretation of the holiday, socks and sheers of all varieties and shapes and sizes just might find their way into the stockings of lucky men, women and children, says Betsy Thompson, Director of Public Relations for Talbots, the multichannel retailer. “Socks and hosiery are a consistent choice for stocking stuffers and add-on gifts because, let’s face it, they’re practical. Choosing sizes is relatively easy. Choices can range from warm and basic to stylish and sometimes sexy and playful.” Click here for complete article

The Hosiery Association Announces Support for WRAP Program

The Hosiery Association (THA) is pleased to announce its participation in the Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) program. Our members include some of the largest sock and sheer hosiery companies in the US that produce both domestically and offshore. With the expansion of codes of conduct, we believe it is important to support one program that provides a rigorous code and certification model for our members to demonstrate their commitment to ethical, legal and humane working conditions around the world.

THA’s Seamless Consortium is working with Santoni to launch the Outdoor Retailer Show’s first Seamless Apparel Village January 23-26, 2008 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The village in meeting room 151 will feature an all encompassing working display of seamless knitting machinery, seamless yarns and fibers, seamless apparel producers and a seamless apparel fashion show.

CHA’s 49th Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 6 at the Sawtooth Building in Winston-Salem, NC, from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm. Guest speaker will be Bill Nichol of Gildan USA and current THA Chairman of the Board. More details are forthcoming.

Legwear Trends Seminar Featured during WSA 2008 - The Hosiery Association (THA) will conduct the first seminar on women’s and children’s legwear trends (Fall/Winter ‘08/’09) during the World Shoes Accessories Show (WSA) on February 22, 2008 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, NV.

THA’s 103RD ANNUAL CONVENTION will be held at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia April 17-20, 2008. Please mark your calendars. Program information is being put together at this time. You may go ahead and make your hotel reservations using the Hotel Reservation Request Form. Stay tuned to Hosiery Insider, Hosiery News and check out THA’s website (www.hosieryassociation.com) often for additional information regarding this upcoming annual event.

THA MEMBER SERVICES ---------

NEW Legislative/Regulatory Relations Committee

The goal of the newly formed committee co-chaired by Kevin Toomey of Kayser-Roth/Golden Lady spa and Bill Sheely of Gold Toe/Moretz is to educate the membership and distribute information on all legislative and regulatory issues that impact the legwear business. Environmental and labor laws, product liability, taxation, trade and labeling are just a few of the topics that this group will focus on. Please contact THA at 704/365-013 or email hosierytha@aol.com if you are interested in getting involved with this initiative.

NEW Member Directory: Please note that we are creating a new, online member directory on the website. A database update worksheet has been sent to all primary association contacts for THA member companies. Company logos and profiles will be collected and available for users to contact directly to learn more about your products and services 24 hours a day 7 days a week. If you did not receive your company’s update form, please email vicki.camp@hosieryassociation.com and request a copy of it.

NEW Product Sales: Please note that we will soon be allowing our member companies to sell their legwear products through our website! The THA website receives considerable consumer traffic on its site and requests to purchase product; therefore, we are going to make it easier for them and give our members the opportunity to sell legwear products through additional e-tailing venues. Stay tuned for more details.

THA Member-Only Section to THA’s Website: Continue to visit the Member-Only section of the website as we update its contents regularly.



 

“Legwear in the News”

Check out the new feature on THA’s website… legwear in the news. It includes the information from a variety of sources on a variety of issues impacting this industry.

 

 

****Product Donation Opportunities***

Throughout the 102+ year history of this organization, we have a strong sense of helping others during times of need (Operation Desert Storm, Feed The Children, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, The Troops in Iraq…just to name a few). Please read through the following and carefully consider how you can help one and/or each of these entities. “Remember, a gift is that only if it is received.”

Charlotte Rescue Mission is requesting donations of dress socks and casual socks to help their 500+ yearly residents. That’s 1000 bare feet that are depending on the generosity of others. If your company would like to lend a hand to help their feet, please contact Andria Tindall at 704-334-4635 ext 214 or email her at andriat@charlotterescuemission.org and indicate that you are THA member. Donors who provide generously will be credited in the Charlotte Rescue Mission’s newsletter, which is seen by over 35,000 people. For more information, please visit their web site, www.charlotterescuemission.org.

  
Dignity U Wear Needs Infant’s/Children’s Hosiery!

The mission of Dignity U Wear Foundation, Inc. is to positively impact the lives of children and their families in need by providing brand new clothing. For more information contact Karin Bunnell at 704-912-3296 or email kbunnell@dignityuwear.org. Their website is www.dignityuwear.com.

The mission of Dress for Success is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. THA is currently working with the North Carolina affiliate to provide hosiery donations (pantyhose, tights, trouser socks, knee-highs) so that these women are able to accessorize themselves completely for the interview process. Companies interested in sending donations should contact Kerry O’Connor at charlotte@dressforsuccess.org and indicate that you are a THA member. Please visit their website at www.dressforsuccess.org.

Second Harvest Food Bank is seeking sock donations for the homeless. Many of you may remember that they are the organization that paid the freight for the millions of socks that THA members donated for Hurricane Katrina victims. Please advise Executive Director, Kay Carter, if you will be able to donate. Her contact information is 704-375-9639, Ext. 16- E-mail: kcarter@secondharvest.org. Shipments should be sent to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina 500-B Spratt Street Charlotte, NC 28206.

 

Economic Census Information: In December, more than 4 million American businesses, including 200,000 manufacturers, will receive 2007 Economic Census forms. Responses to the questionnaire are required by law (Title 13, U.S. Code), and are to be returned by February 12, 2008. Every 5 years, the Economic Census develops a comprehensive portrait of American business, from the national to the local level. Timely and accurate data are vital to effective public policy and important to our association. Please refer to the timeline below and visit the following website. <business.census.gov>.

December 2007: Economic Census forms are coming to businesses in mid-December.
January 2008: Economic Census: Your industry / community is counting on you.
February 2008: Economic Census forms are due February 12.

China International Hosiery Purchasing Exposition 2008 & China Hosiery Forum 2008 - Event will be held March 3-5, 2008 at the Shanghai Everbright Convention & Exhibition Center in Shanghai, China. For additional information, contact Kim Yang at k.yang@gehuaexpo.com or visit their website at www.chpe.com.cn.

LaamScience Incorporated (LSI) announced on November 29, 2007 that Dr. Christopher H. Price has accepted the positions of CEO and President for the company. Tom Roberg, former Chairman, CEO and President, will be the new Executive Chairman. Also, based on an invention discovered at NCSU and Emory Universities, LSI is developing coatings for fabrics and hard surfaces that provide long-lasting effectiveness by inactivating viruses and killing bacteria. This effectiveness has been demonstrated in the laboratory against the flu virus and the Staphylococcus bacteria. For the complete press release, click here.

The Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc. Reports November Sales recently announced sales results for the four-week period ended December 1, 2007. Total sales for the four-week period ended December 1, 2007, increased 18% to $234.6 million compared to sales of $199.3 million for the four week period ended November 25, 2006. Consolidated comparable store sales increased 3% on top of last year's 8% comparable store sales increase. During fiscal November, the Company opened four The Children's Place stores and two Disney Stores.

ITMA 2011 Date Changed - “ITMA 2011 will now start a day earlier than originally planned, announced show owner, the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers (CEMATEX). It will be held from September 22 to 29, 2011, at the same place, the new Fira de Barcelona Gran Via venue in Barcelona.”

Parkdale To Close Rockford Plant - Gastonia, N.C.-based Parkdale Mills Inc. will close its plant in Rockford, Ala., in January 2008 and move that plant’s production, which comprises cotton yarns for bottomweight applications, to other company facilities. According to John Nims, who heads the company’s manufacturing and personnel operations, the market served by the Rockford facility has been shrinking and is projected to continue to contract, and power costs at the plant are higher than at other Parkdale plants.


 

Schwab, Paulson Lay Out China Trade Issues Ahead of High-Level Meetings
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson laid out the major trade issues between the U.S. and China ahead of high-level discussions to be held next week in Beijing under the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade and the Strategic Economic Dialogue.

DOC Launches Berry Amendment Web Site for U.S. Textile and Apparel Manufacturers
The Department of Commerce announced that it has launched a new Web site that will help U.S. textile and apparel manufacturers access information about the Berry Amendment, the law that gives preference to domestically produced clothing, fabrics and other items provided to the Department of Defense. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Textiles and Apparel Matt Priest said the “new Web site will be a one-stop-shop for information to help members of industry navigate the complexities of the Berry Amendment.” The DOC’s Office of Textiles and Apparel, the DOD and other interested parties worked together to develop the information organized on the Web site , which will include the following information on covered items of clothing, fabrics, fibers, yarns and other made-up textile items.

House Passes Bill Setting Jan. 15, 2009, Deadline for Child Labor-Made Goods List
Congress indicated this week that it expects to move rapidly toward the development of a list of foreign-made goods believed to be produced with forced or child labor in violation of international standards. Companies concerned about achieving compliance and avoiding import delays or seizures should act now to get involved with this process as it moves forward.

Peru FTA Gets Final Approval
The US/Peru free trade agreement (FTA) has received final congressional approval this week. The pact, which gives Peru permanent duty-free access to the US market, enjoyed the support of US textile manufacturers and importers of textiles and apparel. It won the support of the US textile industry, since it has a rule of origin requiring that apparel enjoying the duty-free treatment will have to contain yarn and fabric made in the participating countries. The agreement is seen as an opportunity for new markets for US fabric that could displace apparel imports from Asia and the Far East.

Census Bureau Seeks Comments on Shipper’s Export Declaration, AES Record
The Census Bureau is seeking comments by Feb. 1, 2008, on the proposed extension of the shipper’s export declaration, form 7525-V, and its electronic equivalent, the Automated Export System. The data collected from these sources is used as the basis for the official U.S. export trade statistics, which in turn are used to determine the balance of international trade. The data is also used to develop U.S. policies that affect the economy, enable U.S. businesses to develop practical export marketing strategies, provide a means for assessing the impact of exports on the domestic economy, and detect and prevent the export of certain items by unauthorized parties or to unauthorized destinations or end users.

China 2008 Quotas Established, 2007 Quotas Adjusted for China. CITA has issued a directive to U.S. Customs and Border Protection establishing the 2008 quotas on Chinese textile and apparel products pursuant to the Nov. 8, 2005, memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and China. In that MOU, the two governments agreed to quotas for certain cotton, wool, manmade fiber, silk blend and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile products produced or manufactured in China and exported to the U.S. during the three one-year periods beginning Jan. 1, 2006, and extending through Dec. 31, 2008. The quotas set forth in this directive will be effective as of Jan. 1, 2008, and may be adjusted during the course of the year for carryforward used in 2007. CITA notes that baby socks classified in HTSUS 6111.20.6050, 6111.30.5050 and 6111.90.5050 will be counted in dozens of pairs for quota purposes. These baby socks are subject to the quota level for category 332/432/632-T and the sublevel for category 332/432/632-B, but the correct category designation 239 will be required at the time of entry for quota purposes. CITA has also issued a separate directive to CBP that, effective Nov. 30, increases for carryforward the quotas for certain cotton and manmade fiber textiles and textile products (categories 345/645/646 and 352/652) produced or manufactured in China and exported during the period Jan. 1, 2007, through Dec. 31, 2007.

 

The contents printed in this document are informational in nature. They are gathered from various industry sources and do not necessarily reflect the views and/or actions of THA.

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