Hosiery 101 & 102 Courses: The first Hosiery 101 & 102 classes of 2006 will be held at the Hosiery Technology Center NEXT Wednesday, March 8 and Thursday, March 9. For more information on these courses, contact the HTC at www.legsource.com.

***Registration Deadline is Monday, March 6*** 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. 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.

THA Salutes REGAL MANUFACTURING/WORLDTEX, 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 –April 27-30, 2006 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.

*****Retail News Added to THA Website**** Check out THA’s latest website addition, “Retail News.” Visit www.hosieryassociation.com for the latest information on our retail partners. Those interested in sending their electronic press kits to us, please direct them to hosierytha@aol.com.

NC State University’s 2006 Continuing Education Schedule: The next courses scheduled through the end of March are: “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, visit 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 NEXT 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.

Prime Source, a new networking event for the international apparel industry, will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from March 28-31. The 2-day forum will bring together 200 participants who have significant influence in shaping the future of the International apparel industry. Participation is by invitation only and has been targeted at high-level representatives from apparel brand owners, retailers, importers and manufacturers, as well as ministerial-level government officials from apparel importing and producing countries.

The 4-day trade show will be the venue where senior management of large importers and retailers, buying and purchasing offices of major brands, executives of brand label manufacturers, and merchandisers can meet with service providers. These exhibiting companies will introduce their production capabilities and strengths to buyers, allowing both to gain new, high-level business contacts and to meet with companies that can provide solutions to improve business. Find out more about the forum at www.internationalapparelforum.com. Find out more about the trade show at www.primesourcetradeshow.com.

Dallas Market Center Show – The Men’s & Boys’ Apparel Market and the Women’s & Children’s Apparel and Accessories show will be held at the Dallas Market Center in Dallas, TX March 30 – April 2. Dallas Market Center, the largest wholesale merchandise resource in the world as recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records, is the one location where retailers from around the globe source a wide range of products including textiles, fashion accessories and women's, men's, children's and western apparel. With more than 50 markets each year attended by more than 200,000 buyers, Dallas Market Center offers an array of services geared toward helping retailers expand business & increase profits. Additional 2006 show dates: June 1-4, August 17-20, and October 26-29. For more detailed information, visit www.dallasmarketcenter.com.

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.

Florida Fashion Focus – An upscale, open-booth trade show offering the latest trends in ladies’ apparel and accessories. Florida Fashion Focus brings wholesalers and retailers together in a professional environment designed to provide the optimal buying experience. This industry show will be held at the Sheraton Miami Mart Hotel and Convention Center in Miami, FL on April 1-3. Visit www.floridafashionfocus.com for additional information.

Material World Show – Material World will have two shows in 2006: April 4-6 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, FL and September 26-28 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York, NY. “From Design to Delivery, the Premier Global Trade Event for the Sewn Products Industries.” Additional information can be found at www.material-world.com.

MAGIC features Fall ’06 Series of CSI (Comfort, Style and Innovation): Congratulations to Kathy Ireland as she premiered The Kathy Ireland line of clothing by Orioxi International during last week’s event. These clothes afford ladies on the go a comfortable but contemporary look. John Moretz of Moretz Inc. was on hand, too, to support Ireland. Moretz partnered with Ireland on her initial fashion endeavor, a collection of women’s socks, in 1993. Now, her billion-dollar corporation includes apparel and home furnishings. Arthur Lavitt of Paul Lavitt Mills, introduces new designs and enhanced products including but not limited to SuperSox, LA Gear, Donald Trump, Steve Madden, Phat Farm, Nicole Miller, etc. And what would MAGIC be without Mr. Magic Johnson himself on hand to promote his menswear line and sign a few autographs. Stay tuned for more in-depth coverage of MAGIC and new opportunities that THA is exploring for the next show which will be held August 28-30.

PAM Trading and Rowell Electronics Merge – PAM Trading Corporation announced their merger effective Wednesday, March 1. These companies believe the new arrangement will enable them to provide the most complete and comprehensive electronic repair service to the hosiery industry. Rowell Electronics, owned by Charles Rowell, has been in business for 18 years and concentrates on repair service for Lonati and Santoni knitting equipment electronics. Additionally, Rowell’s repair personnel have received factory training from both Lonati and Santoni. All inventory and repair equipment will be acquired by PAM Trading and relocated to its location in Greensboro NC. All requests for board repair and on site service should be directed to Charles Rowell at PAM Trading.

PacBrands: Year to Wear Well – Pacific Brands says its sales and margin performance in recent months provides it with confidence about the remainder of the financial year, although the retail environment will remain subdued. Pacific Brands on Wednesday reported a 4.8% fall in first half net profit to $50.7 million.

Australia's largest underwear maker had warned of a 2 to 5% fall in earnings for the first half after a difficult first quarter in the retail environment and amid general weakness in apparel. Pacific Brands on Wednesday, February 22 said steep increases in petrol prices in the first quarter appeared to have affected sales across many consumer categories and its own offerings were not immune. It said its sales in the first half, particularly in the underwear and hosiery operating group, were also affected by a number of one-off factors.

Gap Inc. Joins Gold Medal Speedskater Joey Cheek's Pledge to Help Children in Disadvantaged Regions – Gap Inc. announced it will meet the challenge made by gold medal speedskater winner Joey Cheek by pledging $25,000 to Right to Play, a humanitarian organization that uses play and sport to further the development and health of children in disadvantaged regions of the world. After winning the gold medal, Mr. Cheek announced he would donate his $25,000 bonus to Right to Play. He called upon the community to match his donation and help children gain physical benefits and develop life skills and strong values through the organization. Inspired by Mr. Cheek's generosity, Gap Inc. decided to make a grant to help in this cause. "We are moved by Mr. Cheek's commitment to this worthy cause and encouraged by this type of leadership in philanthropy. It proves that one person can really make a difference," said Bobbi Silten, Chief Foundation Officer of Gap Inc.

Coach and Simon Announce Program to Advance Store Growth; Twenty New Coach Stores to Open at Simon Properties over Two Years: Coach, Inc., a leading marketer of modern classic American accessories and Simon Property Group, Inc., the country's largest owner, developer and manager of high quality retail real estate, announced today that they have formed an alliance to open or expand Coach retail stores in Simon's premiere malls and lifestyle centers over the next two years. This agreement, the first of its kind for Coach, encompasses a total of 30 'deals in principle' and will include opening about 20 new Coach retail stores and expanding an additional 10 locations over a two-year period.

After a lengthy 3 year trail one of Italy's leading fashion designers, Roberto Cavalli, is facing two years in jail after being hit with charges concerning a 3 million dollar tax fraud. At question are extensive renovations that the 65 year old Cavalli made to his private 10 million dollar hilltop villa at Pian dei Giullari located on the outskirts of Florence which were paid for by company funds. The designer claims that his home is primarily used for business and it is where celebrities such as Madonna, Sting, Cindy Crawford and Jennifer Lopez come to try on his designs.

Supermodel and veteran scrapper Naomi Campbell lost her famous temper again this time onboard a British Airways London to L.A. flight recently. She was overheard turning on her assistant when she got angry about some misplaced dresses. Things got ugly and a mile-high shouting match ensued. The assistant quit rather loudly. Passengers complained about the racket. They only stopped going at each other when a flight attendant threatened to get the Captain to separate the verbally abusive duo.

Jennifer Lopez was rumored to have collected a $100,000 paycheck to park her famous behind and smile in a front row seat at Dolce & Gabbana show. As well her airfare and accommodation were all paid for and he received a Dolce & Gabbana wardrobe. However apart from her appearance fee she did not seem to generate any news or excitement. The only buzz was Jennifer who?

CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year and bridal wear superstar Vera Wang, is contemplating her future while offers continue to pile up. A few weeks ago she was offered the position of Creative Director for St. John. Sources say that she also has offers on the table from Liz Claiborne Inc. to purchase her entire company and Regatta Pacific Alliance who are eager to enter into what has been described as a mega licensing deal.

New Sock Labeling Law In Effect: The new law that requires that the country of origin be placed on the front of the package adjacent to the size for most sock products is now in effect. A directive has been issued by Customs and Border Control (CBP). Please contact the Federal Trade Commission, at (202) 326-2841, for specific questions on the marking requirements.

Antitrust Cases Pose Challenges for Importers of Chinese Goods: Importers of goods from China, who can be faced with prohibitive antidumping (AD) duties, are also facing another challenge – antitrust cases against their Chinese suppliers. News reports indicate that there have been an increasing number of civil antitrust suits filed in the United States alleging that competing Chinese producers cooperated to fix the prices of goods exported to the US. In some instances, these efforts are designed to raise prices enough to avoid charges of dumping in the US market. Antitrust penalties in the US can be severe, and both private companies and the federal government have had success pursuing alleged violators.

EU Releases Annual Report on US Barriers to Trade and Investment: The European Commission (EC) just released its twenty-first annual report on barriers to trade and investment in the US. The report highlights non-tariff barriers in investment and government procurement and addresses some long-standing WTO disputes, such as issues concerning the Jobs Act (FSC-ETI) and repeal of the Byrd Amendment. However, it also concludes that the Transatlantic Economic Initiative offers new possibilities to advance trade and tackle existing regulatory and non-tariff barriers.

Thailand Postpones FTA Talks: According to Reuters, Thailand has postponed further discussions on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) with the US and delayed signing a deal with Japan pending the outcome of special elections on April 2. Thailand’s Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, dissolved Parliament on February 24 following months of allegations of abuse of power and calls for him to step down. Thailand’s former chief trade negotiator resigned in January after the last round of FTA talks with the US in part due to harsh criticism over the handling of the agreement.

Singapore and Panama Sign FTA: Singapore and Panama signed a bilateral FTA this week, Singapore’s first such agreement with a Latin American country. Panama is Singapore’s largest trading partner in the region; total trade was valued at just under $2 billion last year. According to information from the government of Singapore, the agreement will cover areas such as trade in goods and services, customs procedures, telecommunications, financial services, and investments.

Macedonia Joins CEFTA: Macedonia has signed an agreement to join the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), which also comprises Croatia, Bulgaria, and Romania. CEFTA lost five of its eight members when the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovenia joined the EU on May 1, 2004, and it will lose two more when Bulgaria and Romania become EU members, likely in 2007. According to Bulgarian Ambassador to Macedonia Gen. Miho Mihov, the earliest Macedonia could join CEFTA is July 1 following ratification of the agreement.

DOL Seeks Comments Regarding Labor Rights in Korea: The Department of Labor (DOL) is seeking comments by April 17 to assist the Secretary of Labor, the US Trade Representative (USTR), and the Secretary of State in preparing reports regarding labor rights in Korea and describing the extent to which Korea has in effect laws governing exploitative child labor. The Trade Act of 2002 requires reports on these issues and others when the President intends to use trade promotion authority (TPA) procedures in connection with legislation approving and implementing a trade agreement. On February 2, the President notified Congress of his intent to enter into FTA negotiations with Korea.

Ex-Im Bank Seeks Comments on Short-Term Insurance Info Collection: The Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank) is seeking comments by May 1 regarding Form EIB 92-64, “Application for Exporter Short-term Single-Buyer Insurance.” This form is used each time an exporter seeks to obtain such insurance for a single-buyer export sale, and it enables the applicant to provide the information necessary to obtain legislatively required assurance of repayment. This form has been updated in order to standardize it with the applications used for medium-term insurance and guarantees and financial institution short-term single sale insurance. It also more explicitly states the financial information that is required to be submitted.

DR-CAFTA Effective March 1 For El Salvador: The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) has announced that the US-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) became active on March 1, 2006, with respect to El Salvador. The US has determined that El Salvador is the only signatory country that has yet taken sufficient steps to complete its commitments under the agreement, including by adopting new laws and regulations where necessary. The US will put DR-CAFTA into effect on a rolling basis for the remaining signatory countries - Costa Rica (which has not yet ratified the agreement), the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. A recent USTR statement gave some insight into how this scheme will operate. "To the extent possible, the United States will seek to create a seamless transition between the Caribbean Basin Initiative/Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBI/CBTPA) and the CAFTA-DR. Countries that have ratified the Agreement would retain their benefits under CBI/CBTPA until the CAFTA-DR enters into force for them and would retain their ability to seek retroactive duty refunds for qualifying textiles and apparel. Moreover, U.S. partners for whom the Agreement enters into force by April 1 can retain their full-year agricultural quotas for 2006; treatment of quotas after that date will be determined, as appropriate."

USTR Releases Overview of Colombia FTA: The US and Colombia concluded negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) this week, According to information from the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), some of the highlights of the FTA include the following:

Consumer and Industrial Products: Over 80% of US exports of consumer and industrial products to Colombia will be duty-free immediately upon entry into force of the agreement, and an additional 7% will be duty-free within five years. All remaining tariffs will be eliminated within ten years. Colombia will join the WTO’s Information Technology Agreement (ITA), which removes tariff and non-tariff barriers to information technology products.

Textiles and Apparel: Textiles and apparel will be duty-free and quota-free immediately if the products meet the agreement’s rules of origin. Rules of origin are generally based on the yarn-forward standard. Exceptions to the rules of origin will be handled through an expedited short supply determination process after the FTA’s entry into force or through a similar process under the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) before entry into force. The parties agreed on 20 short supply items as part of the agreement. The FTA does not make use of tariff preference levels (TPLs). A special textile safeguard will provide for temporary tariff relief if imports under the agreement prove to be damaging to domestic producers.

CBP Seizes Textile and Apparel Merchandise at Buffalo Port: CBP import specialists and officers recently participated in a two-week blitz targeting textile and apparel merchandise coming into the US by truck from Canada, a CBP press release reports. CBP targeted approximately 40 shipments at the Buffalo port of entry in January. Significant violations discovered during this special enforcement operation included inaccurate marking, merchandise misclassification to avoid visa/quota restrictions, new clothing presented as used or worn, and a number of IPR violations. According to CBP, textiles entering the US account for 43% of all duties collected. On average, CBP collects $81,834,000 in fees, duties, and tariffs every day.

CITA Seeks Comments on Interim Procedures for DR-CAFTA Short Supply Provisions: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) is seeking comments by March 9 on the interim procedures it will follow in implementing the short supply provisions of the DR-CAFTA Implementation Act. This law establishes procedures to modify the list of fabrics, yarns, or fibers not available in commercial quantities in a timely manner in the DR-CAFTA countries. This notice informs interested parties of the procedures that CITA has established to govern the submission of short supply requests and allow interested entities to submit comments and supporting evidence in any such determination. These procedures will go into effect as of the date of entry into force of DR-CAFTA.

United States and Ukraine Conclude Bilateral WTO Accession Agreement on Market Access: U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman announced this week that the United States and Ukraine have concluded bilateral negotiations on market access issues related to Ukraine’s WTO accession. Trade Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk will join Portman in Washington on March 6, 2006 to formally sign the agreement. Commenting on the agreement, Portman stated that “It confirms Ukraine’s commitment to broad-based reform and economic liberalization” and “demonstrates Ukraine’s resolve to join the international trading system." Ukraine has been negotiating its terms of accession to the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT), and then to the WTO, since 1994, and is still negotiating bilateral market access agreements with eight other countries. The United States is continuing to work with other accession candidates, including Russia and Vietnam, and hopes to conclude these bilateral agreements in the near future.