Friday, February 17, 2006  
 Hosiery 101 & 102 Courses: The first Hosiery 101 & 102 classes of 2006 will be held at the Hosiery Technology Center on Wednesday, March 8 and Thursday, March 9. For more information on these courses, contact the HTC at www.legsource.com. Classes cost $60 each and the deadline for registering is one week prior to the class dates.
THA's Marketing Symposium - March 13–14, 2006 at the Charlotte Marriott Executive Park in Charlotte, NC: Speed To Market: Allowing Innovation to Drive Your Future Guest speakers include Robin Lewis, a strategic analyst and consultant, specializing in identifying opportunities and developing growth strategies in marketing, brand positioning and distribution primarily on the branded apparel and retail industries. He also writes and publishes the monthly Robin Reports. Bill D'Arienzo, who maintains extensive industry-wide contacts with manufacturers, retailers and opinion leaders. He has been featured and quoted in apparel industry trade publications and national newspapers and magazines, such as LA Times, U.S. News & World Report and The New York Times, providing analysis of retail dynamics, consumer trends and branding strategies. Bill is also a frequent keynote speaker at industry organizations and educational institutions. Molly Barker, founder of Girls on the Run International, a global program that instills healthy physical and mental principles for girls in grades 3 – 8. Molly was recognized as Charlotte 2004 Woman of the Year and is featured in the current issue of O and Hosiery News magazines. “Betwixt and Between” panel presentation features a panel of consumers (ages 8-18) who will candidly discuss their opinions about apparel, brands, fashion and pop culture. Roger Cullis, Associate Producer of Sports Roundtable will discuss exciting buzz marketing techniques available to THA members. The show, hosted by ESPN's Sam Smith features current as well as former athletes from NBA, NFL, NASCAR, and PGA. The hotel room rate is $109. Cutoff date to make hotel room reservations is THIS Monday, February 20, 2006. Phone number to make reservations is 800-359-7961 or 704-527-9650. Registration information has been e-mailed and posted on THA's website www.hosieryassociation.com. For additional event details, contact Sally Kay at 704-365-0913, ext. 212 or email her at sally.kay@hosieryassociation.com.
REGAL MANUFACTURING/WORLDTEX join FIBER & YARN PRODUCTS and CIT COMMERCIAL SERVICES as sponsors of the 2006 Marketing Symposium. To be held in Charlotte March 13-14, this event should provide some excellent opportunities for gaining insight into some new techniques to successfully enhance your products market appeal. THA is grateful for these industry leaders' support. For more information on the sponsorship opportunities for this event, please contact Mike Austell at 704-365-0913 or email mike.austell@hosieryassociation.com .
 CHA Suppliers Luncheon will held on Thursday, March 23 at the Peppertree Inn located in Greensboro, NC and features Nicole Bivens Collinson, Vice President, Trade Negotiations and Legislative Affairs for Sandler, Travis and Rosenberg, PA. Collinson will review the overall trading landscape with a particular focus on the latest developments of DR-CAFTA as well as upcoming FTAs with Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, etc. To register to attend this luncheon, contact Mike Austell – E:mike.austell@hosieryassociation.com, T:704-365-0913 Ext 204. Registration deadline is Monday, March 20.
 REGISTER for THA's 101st Annual Convention – Registration forms are now available from THA and on the website (www.hosieryassociation.com). Deadline for convention registration is Friday, April 7. Hotel reservations can still be made at The Mulberry Inn through Monday, March 27. Call them directly at 877-468-1200 and specify the “THA room block.” Room rates are $169/night (single or double). The 2006 sessions include presentations from the following speakers: Scott Quesenberry (USTR) and Jim Leonard (US Dept of Commerce) will provide an overview of domestic opportunities as well as upcoming trade agreements and how they impact the legwear business. Doug Durrett and Shahab Ahmed (Global Synergies, LLC) – Observations on Asia; Sandy Browder (Global DBMM) – DR-CAFTA: An Update and What Does it Mean to the US Hosiery Industry?; Marshal Cohen (NPD) – The New Consumer – Now What?; and Nancy Cassill (NCSU) – NC State School of Textiles. Larry Brill (DOC) will provide an update on the MDCP Exporting Program that was awarded to the Hosiery Technology Center last fall and Sally Kay will present an industry overview and the association's legwear communications program. Make plans now to be in Savannah, GA on April 27-30.
SWIFT SPINNING INC. has joined CIT COMMERCIAL SERVICES as being sponsors of THA's 101st Annual Meeting & Convention April 27-30 in Savannah. R. L. Stowe has also joined in this annual gathering of industry leaders by sponsoring a hole at the annual convention golf tournament. THA wishes to extend its gratitude for the support of these companies. For more information on the sponsorship opportunities for this event, please contact Mike Austell at 704-365-0913 or email mike.austell@hosieryassociation.com. 
 NC State University's 2006 Continuing Education Schedule: The next courses scheduled through the end of March are: “Advanced Experimental Design” - February 28-March 3; “Nonwovens Manufacturing Process Fundamentals” - March 20-24; and “Design for Six Sigma” – March 28-31. Most of the courses are held on NCSU's Centennial Campus. To view the entire 2006 schedule or if you are interested in registering for one of these courses, please visit email address www.ContinuingEducation.NCSU.edu.
Zara – Fast Fashion Workshop Announced: Cary, NC and London, UK – [TC] 2 and the Industry Forum announce a Zara – Fast Fashion Workshop to be held Monday, March 6 at [TC] 2 ‘s facility in Cary, NC. Acknowledged as the best practitioner in the fast fashion arena with the shortest lead times, Zara is enjoying a 20% net sales growth per year and an above industry average for return visits per customer per year. At 2005 year's end, Zara planned to have over 820 stores in 60 countries. The Zara Fast Fashion Workshop hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at [TC] 2, 211 Gregson Drive, Cary, NC, 15 miles from the RDU Airport. Workshop registration fee is $200 and lunch will be provided. Register now with Maria Muniz at 919-653-3507 or email contact@tc2.com .
[TC]² Announces 2006 Summer Internship Program – [TC]²'s highly acclaimed student internship study program for rising seniors in apparel and textile management programs at U.S. universities is being re-established this year. Commencing May 30th, the eight week program will include seminars and hands-on training in various subjects including lean manufacturing concepts, sourcing, pattern development and grading, merchandising, product costing, seams and stitches classifications, and much more. The main focus areas will include Supply Chain Strategies, Product Development, and Business Planning. Eighty interns participated in similar programs from 1989 to 2000, and many of these individuals are still active in the industry in various capacities. The selected students for 2006 will receive paid travel to Cary, NC, housing, and a stipend during the course of the eight-week internship. Final selection will be made by the AAFA Human Resources Leadership Council. Deadline for application submission is March 15. To obtain an application, contact Karen Davis at 919-380-2177.
2006 Seattle Trend Show – Show dates for 2006 have been released for the Seattle Trend Shows. This show is a regional tradeshow for the Pacific Northwest, featuring women's, children's and men's apparel and accessories. For 65 years this show has served independent retailers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and British Columbia. The shows will be held at the Qwest Field Event Center in Seattle, Washington. Dates are as follows: March 31-April 3, June 10-12, August 5-7 and October (TBD). For more information about this show, contact Patricia Hodges, Executive Director, Pacific Northwest Apparel Association: T – 206-767-9200, F – 206-767-0707, E – pnaa@earthlink.net , W – www.seattletrendshow.com .
The Vendor Compliance Guide Irons Out Wrinkles – Fashiondex has published The Vendor Compliance Handbook, a manual of compliance guidelines and procedures for product development and apparel production. The Vendor Compliance Handbook is a how-to guide detailing everything from sample procedures and measurement specs to testing, labeling and UPC code standards, care symbols, and garment-audit inspection procedures. Bursting at the seams with information, The Vendor Compliance Handbook ensures that apparel producers and manufacturers get it right the first time, and are therefore able to avoid charge backs and returns. The handbook also covers letter-of-credits, packaging and shipping standards, quality control and non-compliance details. Templates of production forms, including size specifications sheets, fabric info sheets, purchase orders, packing lists, airfreight authorization, color way sheets, cost breakdown, letters of credit and more are included.
OptiTex Announces a New Distributor for Germany, Austria and Switzerland: OptiTex Ltd, a developer of innovative, easy-to-operate Fashion Design Software, has recently appointed Kuris Spezialmaschinen GmbH of Germany to represent OptiTex in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In recent years OptiTex has been actively engaged in increasing its market share and expanding its distributor cycle in Asia, Europe and the US.
NILIT of Israel to Purchase Interest in INVISTA European Nylon Apparel Business
INVISTA to focus on its LYCRA® spandex market leadership: Nilit, a producer of Nylon, based in Israel, signed an agreement with Invista to acquire its nylon apparel facility in Oestringen, Germany and to buy Invista's nylon apparel product, from Gloucester, U.K. Invista will continue to operate the apparel facility in Gloucester and sell all of its production through Nilit. Under the deal, Invista will grant NILIT an exclusive license for the trademarks Tactel, Cordura and Supplex in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Concept III Using TEXbase Marketing Manager to Maintain Personal Connection with Customers and Increase Speed to Market: Established in 1983, Concept III Textiles, a world-wide resource for the development, sourcing and production of textiles and textile-based finished apparel products, has implemented TEXbase Marketing Manager to strengthen its tradition of bringing innovation to the marketplace and to make it easier for its customers to build successful products. With the integration of TEXbase Marketing Manager, Concept III will provide its geographically dispersed clients with access to its fabric library in real-time, via the Internet. This online resource will enable customers to search for fabrics by construction, fiber, weight and technical features. Customers can create their own swatch books that contain images and in-depth fabric specifications allowing for clear and concise communication with other team members and supply chain partners. APTMA, PHMA to Study Textile Issues Jointly - The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) and the Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA) on Saturday decided to undertake a joint study of challenges confronting the textile industry in the post-quota era and evolve a strategy to overcome them. This was decided in a meeting between APTMA-Punjab chairman Shafqat Elahi and PHMA chairman Shehzad Azam. PHMA's Shahid Nazir presented a comparative study of the knitwear industry in Pakistan, India and China, and highlighted the role of incentives and subsidies being given by the two countries. These subsidies are causing harm to the Pakistani industry. Both APTMA and PHMA called upon the government to provide a level-playing field to the country's textile industry by matching interest rates, investment allowances and duty drawbacks enjoyed by the Indian, Chinese and Bangladeshi industry. “We feel that Pakistan s industry has to go through a consolidation phase and certain structural changes are required,” they said. “But we need some immediate relief to remain afloat while we make these changes,” they added.
NYC Fashion Week May Spawn ‘70s Trend – Fashion designers made their case and now it's up to the retailers, editors and stylists who attended New York Fashion Week to weigh in on what will be in - or out - in the fall. Of course, the real verdict will be revealed in August and September when ordinary people do their seasonal shopping. The choices for women likely will include 1970s- and '80s-inspired clothes: skinny pants - even leggings - chunky-knit cardigan coats and fine-knit jersey dresses, shirtdresses, men's-style suits with feminine lace or tie-neck blouses, bow adornments and a lot of black and other somber colors.
 The surprise announcement that Boy George will be closing London Fashion Week with his B-Rude collection has left many people baffled. There were more established and talented designers such as Julien Macdonald, John Rocha and Paul Smith to choose from.
George's unsophisticated collection which features items such as novelty T-shirts and latex underwear for men has been panned in the press. After his début show during New York Fashion Week last year George was arrested a few days later when he called police to his home after a male prostitute he hired stole valuables. The trick had split but the men in blue found cocaine instead. Ironically as the New York shows kicked off this season George appeared in court to answer to drug charges.
 The familiar line of BCBG MaxAzria has officially separated into two distinct labels. MaxAzria, the designer and chief executive decided to showcase only his upscale MaxAzria Collection for fall/winter 2006.
 USTR Releases Top-to-Bottom Review of China Trade Policy: The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) released its review of US trade policy towards China. This report assesses the benefits and challenges in bilateral trade as China nears the end of its transition period after four years of membership in the WTO. According to a USTR press release, the review reflects the input of Congress, China experts, industry, the public, and other US government agencies.
Three-Year Renewal of Africa Program: The Ex-Im Bank has renewed its Short-Term Insurance Pilot Program for Africa (STIPP) for three years beginning March 31, with an authorization limit of $100 million. After reviewing the eligibility status of all sub-Saharan African nations, the bank added Burundi, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, and Sierra Leone to the program for public and private sector financing.
El Salvadorian President to Meet Bush: El Salvadorian President Antonio Saca will travel to Washington, DC, to meet with President Bush on February 24. The meeting is likely to include a discussion of the upcoming DR-CAFTA implementation, which is expected to happen on March 1 for El Salvador. Last week, press reports said that El Salvador has agreed to recognize the US meat inspection system, a step that many in the Administration and Congress, including Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA), said was imperative before DR-CAFTA could go into effect. Sources indicate that El Salvador and the US reached agreement on an outstanding textile issue last week. In order to garner the necessary votes to pass DR-CAFTA in Congress last summer, the Administration promised to change the agreement's rules of origin for non-visible pocketing and linings. The change would reportedly allow items that have little impact on the domestic textile and apparel industries – such as women's coats made from cotton, manmade fiber, or wool – to enter the US duty-free under a single transformation rule of origin.
Turkey and Egypt Sign FTA: Following close to a decade of discussions, the foreign trade ministers of Turkey and Egypt signed a free trade agreement (FTA) this week. According to the Reporter.GR., an online English news source based in Greece, the FTA is expected to increase bilateral trade from $700 million to $2 billion annually. Additionally, Turkish investment in Egypt is expected to reach $2 billion.
G8 Finance Ministers Urge Progress in Doha Trade Negotiations: During their meeting in Moscow last week, the G8 Finance Ministers endorsed an "ambitious outcome" to the Doha Round of WTO negotiations that would encompass comprehensive agreements on agriculture, financial services, intellectual property and the special concerns of developing countries, which require “substantial aid for trade to help them take advantage of general liberalization.” In a statement issued in advance of the G8 summit in St. Petersburg July 15-17, the ministers welcomed the decision to focus on energy security at the summit, stressing the importance of a "global energy policy dialogue between oil producing and consuming countries and the private sector." They also called for the World Bank to set country-specific energy strategies to help developing nations achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
USITC Begins Assessment of U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement: As requested by USTR, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has instituted an investigation to assess the likely impact of a free trade agreement (FTA) that the President has proposed to enter into with Peru. The Trade Act of 2002 requires USITC to prepare a report that assesses the likely impact of proposed FTAs on the U.S. economy as a whole and on specific industry sectors and the interests of U.S. consumers. The Commission will hold a public hearing in connection with the investigation on March 15, 2006.
Dorgan, Graham Introduce Bill to Repeal China PNTR: Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced legislation (S 2267) on February 9 to repeal Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status for China, citing chronic “cheating” by China that has led to a huge and record-breaking US trade deficit with that country. In a press release, Dorgan accused China of flooding the US with its products while keeping artificial barriers in place and using a variety of unfair trade practices to keep US products out of China.
International Economic Policy Meeting on March 9: The State Department's Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy (ACIEP) is holding an open meeting on March 9 in Washington, DC. The meeting will be hosted by Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs E. Anthony Wayne and Committee Chairman R. Michael Gadbaw. Items on the agenda for this meeting include US-China economic relations and US international investment policy.
Modification on Knit to Shape Garments from China: US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued an administrative message (TBT-06-003) on February 15 regarding certain knit to shape garments from China. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Textile Trade between the United States and China, which was implemented on January 1 for goods exported on or after that date through December 31, 2008, allows for the exclusion from quota of certain knit to shape garments classified in HTSUS 6110. CBP states that in order for garments to be exempt from quota, they must meet the requirements of Statistical Note 6 to HTSUS Chapter 61. The International Trade Commission (ITC) has now posted to its website a technical correction to this statistical note, retroactive to January 1, 2006, so that it now reads as follows “For the purposes of statistical reporting under heading 6110, the term ‘knit to shape' means garments knit to shape on flat-knitting machines, having a stitch count exceeding 9 stitches per 2 centimeters, but less than or equal to 18 stitches per 2 centimeters, measured on the outer surface of the fabric in the direction in which the stitches are formed. For purposes of this statistical note, in the instances where both knit and purl stitches are usually counted, the purl stitches will be disregarded and only the knit stitches on the outer surfaces of the fabric will be counted. All of the garment's components, which include, but are not limited to, collars, plackets, cuffs, waistbands, and pockets, are knit to shape. All of the components are assembled by looping and linking, including the side seams.” According to CBP, this modification reflects two changes to the statistics note. The first change indicates that in instances where both knit and purl stitches are counted, purl stitches will be disregarded in determining the stitch count of a garment for purposes of Statistical Note 6 to HTSUS Chapter 61. This is different from the way stitches are counted for the purposes of Chapter 61, Note 4, and Chapter 61, Statistical Note 3. For Chapter 61, Note 6, only purl stitches on the outer surface are disregarded. For example, if you are counting a rib knit fabric, only the knit stitches on the outer surface are to be counted. The second change eliminates the reference to further cutting or trimming. This change was made to permit trimming the shoulder slope and trimming waste yarns. To the extent that lines of demarcation are permitted, cutting may also be done along those lines. However, all components must still be considered knit to shape, and no other cutting to shape of the components is permitted. All components must still be assembled by linking and looping, including the side seams, shoulder seams, collars, cuffs, plackets, waistbands, and pockets. If components are not linked and looped but only sewn, they will not meet the requirements of this statistical note and will not be exempt from quota. CBP also notes that that there is a typographical error in the above version of the statistical note that will be corrected with the upcoming supplement to the HTSUS. Specifically, the note will read: “For purposes of this statistical note, in the instances where both knit and purl stitches are usually counted, the purl stitches will be disregarded, and only the knit stitches on the outer surface [not surfaces] of the fabric will be counted.” Garments meeting the requirements of Statistical Note 6 to HTSUS Chapter 61 are classified under the following HTSUS numbers. Garments not meeting the requirements of Statistical Note 6 are not classifiable in any of these subheadings and are subject to quota.
 6110.20.1026
6110.20.1031
6110.20.2067
6110.20.2077
6110.30.2051
6110.30.2061
6110.30.3051
6110.30.3057
6110.90.9067
6110.90.9071
6110.90.9079
6110.90.9081
USTR Lowers Philippines to IPR Watch List: The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) has made a determination to lower the Philippines from the Priority Watch List to the Watch List under the Special 301 Review, which examines in detail the adequacy and effectiveness of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection. Trading partners who fall under the Priority Watch List are those that do not provide an adequate level of IPR protection or enforcement, or market access for persons relying on intellectual IPR protection. Trading partners on the Watch List merit bilateral attention to address IPR problems.
USDA Seeks Comments on Export Programs Info Collection: The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking comments by March 20 regarding the information collection requirements associated with the Export Credit Guarantee Program (GSA-102) and Supplier Credit Guarantee Program (SCGP), which are administered by the USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). These programs provide guarantees to exporters in order to maintain and increase overseas importers' ability to purchase US agricultural goods. The USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) collects information from participating US exporters in order to determine their eligibility for program benefits. The information is also used in fulfilling the CCC's obligation under the issued payment guarantee.
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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