Rep. Myrick Seeks Funds For Textile Import Labeling In an effort to help combat illegal textile and
apparel imports, Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC) has won tentative approval of $300,000 to develop a tagging
and identification system for imports. The funds, which would go to the Agricultural Research
Service facility in Clemson, S.C., were contained in this years Department of Agriculture
appropriations bill. The measure still has to clear the full House and the Senate before the funds
will be available.In announcing approval of the funding, Myrick said, “One of the biggest problems
facing our textile producers is the ongoing practice of illegal textile transshipments. To fight
this problem, the US Customs Service personnel who are responsible for inspecting the textiles that
enter our country need the necessary technology and capability to identify illegal textiles.. This
money will go a long way toward advancing the tagging technology to do this.”By James A. Morrissey,
Washington Correspondent
June 2003

US Textile Industry Hosts Singapore Fashion And Apparel DelegationA group of Singapore fashion and
apparel company executives and managers recently visited the United States to shop for yarn and
other textile raw materials to use in their products. The mission was the first in a series planned
following the signing earlier this year of the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA).Led by
International Enterprise Singapore and the Textile and Fashion Federation of Singapore (TaFf), the
delegation visited locations in New York and the Carolinas. Stateside hosts included the American
Textile Manufacturers Institute, American Yarn Spinners Association (AYSA), Cotton Incorporated,
DuPont, Murata Machinery USA Inc., National Textile Association, South Carolina World Trade Center,
Textile Distributors Association, the US Commercial Service and US manufacturers of cotton and
man-made yarn and fabric. North Carolina Congressman Cass Ballenger also hosted the
delegation.Under USSFTA, duty-free treatment is given to textiles and apparel made with yarns or
fabrics originating in the United States and/or Singapore. The pact gives opportunities to US
producers of fiber, yarn and fabric to export their products to Singapore and use that country as a
distribution base for the Asian continent.According to Chan Heng Chee, the Republic of Singapores
ambassador to the United States, US-Singapore two-way trade in 2002 totaled $1.1 billion, and
current US textile exports to Singapore total $54 million. The upside potential [for cooperative
trade] is immense, he said. Following the mission, Mike Hubbard, executive vice president, AYSA,
Gastonia, N.C., commented, The fact that [the Singapore delegation] had the interest to come here
is very positive. There seemed to be a genuine willingness on the part of both sides to work
together.Patrick Lee, honorary president, TaFf, also was optimistic, particularly with regard to
yarn trade, although he expressed some concerns about price. Price is a challenge, he said, but
some spinners are willing to work with us.Both Hubbard and Lee acknowledged the market will be
difficult because of shipping distances. This is more true for fabrics than for yarns, Lee said.
However, he noted, Some Singapore companies have factories in the Caribbean Basin, so there are
additional opportunities in that region.It was definitely a worthwhile visit, but both sides must
work harder to overcome the challenges, Lee said.
July 2003

Textile Associations Urge Bush To Act On Trade IssuesOn July 7th, a broad coalition of 14 fiber and
textile trade associations wrote President Bush urging him to reaffirm his commitment to a healthy
US textile industry by taking “strong, specific actions regarding the enormous threat from China.”
The associations urged the president to implement a “safeguard mechanism” to limit growth of
Chinese imports in 29 recently decontrolled product categories where China has taken more than 40
percent of the US market. The coalition also urged him to reject any tariff preference levels in
the Central American Free Trade Agreement, which would enable China to benefit from the agreement.
In addition, they urged the administration to reject a proposal for zero tariffs in the trade
liberalization talks underway at the World Trade Organization.In part, the letter said: “Chinas
enormous growth in 29 recently decontrolled US textile categories suggest the entire US textile and
apparel market will be the next victim. If the administration does not act, a new enormous wave of
plant closures and worker layoffs is certain to occur in the countrys major textile areas. This
will have a profound negative impact on the US struggling manufacturing sector and terminally
weaken the domestic textile industry.”Allen E. Gant Jr., CEO of Glen Raven Inc., said the letter is
part of a “full court press” the industry has underway including grassroots activities, public
education, congressional and executive lobbying activities, and efforts to line up support from
textile manufacturers in other nations that have a share of the US market.Officials of the
association said the US textile and apparel industry has lost 271,100 jobs since January 2001. And
a recent report prepared by the American Textile Manufacturers Institute predicted that an
additional 630,000 U.S. jobs will be lost, 1,300 plants closed and $42 billion in trade shifted
from other countries to China if quotas on textile and apparel products from China are allowed to
expire on December 31, 2004.Signing the letter to the president were representatives of the
American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, American Textile Manufacturers Institute, National
Textile Association, American Yarn Spinners Association, American Fiber Manufacturers Association,
National Cotton Council, American Textile Machinery Association, American Sheep Industry
Association, The Carpet and Rug Institute, the Association of Georgias Textile Carpet and Consumer
Product Manufacturers, USA Domestic Manufacturers Committee of the Hosiery Association, Industrial
Fabrics Association International, North Carolina Manufacturers Association and the Textile
Distributors Association.By James A. Morrissey, Washington Correspondent
June 2003