Friday, January 5, 2007


This edition of the Hosiery Insider
is sponsored by SOCKLOCKER
Click on ad for more information


PLEASE SEND SOCKS: Socks for Soldiers NEEDS YOUR HELP!!
The Marines at Camp Pendelton have set up a non-profit group called Operation Cody which supports Marines and Naval personnel stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. They provide many comfort items through contributions from the public.

They don't need the manufacturer, just who will be sending the socks, and the trucking company to come on the base. The address on base is:

      • Sgt Stephen Ferguson,USMC/Team Cody
        C/O; Cpl Little, Christopher
        2nd Bn 5th Mar Hts Co.
        Bldg # 62451
        San Meteo, Camp Pendleton, 92055

The number of socks and/or the number of cartons with # of socks in each, is the most important info. Sgt Ferguson's email address is Ferg4teamcody@cs.com.

“Stepping Forward….
Inspiring Innovation” 2007 THA MEDIA BUYING PACKAGE – THA is proud to launch its “packaged concept” for advertising through its various communications vehicles. With a professional demographic analysis of our readership, quantified viewings of the electronic newsletter and unique users that visit the website monthly, we can guarantee that your products/services will receive over 11,000 impressions every month! More details will be issued next week. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to contact THA offices at 704.365.0913 or advertising@hosieryassociation.com to ensure you receive the new media kit.

SANTONI SHOWCASES SEAMLESS TECHNOLOGY at OUTDOOR RETAIL: Santoni will be exhibiting at the January 27-30 Outdoor Retail Winter Market in Salt Lake City, Utah. Members of THA’s Seamless Consortium will also be available to discuss the benefits and features of seamless apparel with attendees along with membership information in the Consortium.

Social Compliance and Reducing Health Care Costs Strategy Session to be held February 2, 2007 at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. We are pleased to have Nancy Blough, Executive Vice President of the American Health Data Institute (AHDI), will discuss practical ways that your company can encourage wellness and reduce health care costs. Steve Jesseph, President and CEO of Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production (WRAP) will also join us. Participate in an interactive exchange of ideas and questions with Jesseph during this session. He will incorporate the dialogue into his presentation at THA’s Convention in April 26-29. WRAP has worked with the apparel industry to create a common certification. Hotel reservation deadline is Monday, January 8, 2006. Information can be found on the Member and Guest sections of THA’s website, www.hosieryassociation.com.

CHA Suppliers Luncheon will be held February 22 at the Sawtooth Building in Winston-Salem. Unifi Inc. is the sponsor for this luncheon and we extend a Special Thank You to them. Further details about the program will be available soon.

ONLY 11 BOOTHS REMAIN AVAILABLE FOR EXHIBITING at THA’s 2007 ANNUAL CONVENTION - THA MEMBER SUPPLIERS: EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS - The global hosiery business is impacting the entire value chain…manufacturers are increasingly challenged to find readily available resources, whether it’s raw materials and/or products and services. Do these companies know who you are and what value you can offer them? What is it worth for you/your company to have face-to-face meetings with over 100 of the industry's top decision-makers and buying agents? If you act quickly, you can take advantage of this opportunity.

We are offering a special, exclusive invitation for ONLY 20 SUPPLIERS to display their product samples, sales collateral and give-aways in an exhibition booth at the upcoming THA Annual Convention on Friday, April 27 in Charleston, SC. Special Thanks to the following eight companies who have reserved their booths: Arch Chemicals Inc (Booth #8), PAM Trading Corp. (Booth #9), RadiciSpandex Corp. (Booth #10), Lang Ligon Co. Inc. (Booth #11), Nilit America Corp. (Booth #12), Sunrise Technologies (Booth #16), Dynamic Quest (Booth #18), PrimaLoft (Booth #19), and Groz-Beckert USA inc. (Booth #20).

You will have direct access to the leaders who purchase your products/services. What would making just one sale mean to you? Now multiply that. To secure one of the remaining 11 booths, which will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, call us now at 704-365-0913 and request an Application for Exhibit Space.

Have You Made Your Hotel Reservations for THA’s 102nd Annual Convention Yet? Don’t wait, call now. Contact the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina (CHR&M) directly at 843-856-0028 or 888-856-0028. The CHR&M reservations office is open from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. (Eastern). In order to get the Convention Rate of $199/night, make sure to identify yourself as being with THA and give the Reservation Code “HOA.” The reservation cut-off date is at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 26, 2007. Don’t delay, make your hotel reservations for THA’s 102nd Annual Convention – Thursday, April 26 – Sunday, April 29, 2007 at the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina.

 

The next issue of Hosiery News will soon be available. If you know of someone who should be receiving the publication, please contact THA offices, 704-365-0913, to ensure he/she is on the distribution list. We offer both printed and electronic versions and reach a global audience. Hosiery News is the official publication of THA is the premiere source of industry/trend information that business executives rely on.

 

 

 

 

Legwear Lands National PR Double Header
THA successfully managed to develop balanced stories for its members concerning the sales trends of pantyhose. Each of the stories which appeared this week in USA Today and on FOXnews.com respectively focused on the new innovative styles/products that the industry is developing. Please contact THA at 704.365.0913 for a copy of the complete articles and/or check them out at www.hosieryassociation.com/Consumer/legwear.htm

Wigwam Welcomes Margaret Chesebro
Margaret graduated from the University of Villanova with a Bachelors Degree in Business in 2000, having majored in Marketing. After graduation she joined a Minneapolis headquartered sporting goods chain as a Marketing Assistant where she handled a variety of tasks that included but were not limited to billboard and print advertising management, implementing an e-mail marketing program to support 60 retail locations, executing special projects and performing various research projects for senior management and providing the marketing manager and the design team with support to fulfill all aspects of promotions.

In 2003 Margaret joined the Fingerhut Corporation as an e-commerce analyst where she cut her teeth as a digital marketing specialist and launched their e-mail marketing program. She has since been involved in many facets of this operation.

“You Wear US Well ™” BIGGER AND BETTER will be participating in the MAGIC show this February with more exhibitors and a bigger presence! There are 14 hosiery and apparel companies plus a separate booth has now evolved for 14 yarn and fiber producers. In addition to THA, HTC and SEAMS, TTC, TC (2) and NCTO have joined the initiative. For additional information involved, please contact Dan St. Louis at the Hosiery Technology Center, 828.327.7000 ext. 4292 or sockman@legsource.com.

 

 

ASAP Buying Trips –You don't know what your manufacturer has or is capable of without visiting it and seeing it first hand. With ASAP Buying Trips it has become so simple to do just that. ASAP Show, will take you to China and show you many different factories that are capable of producing what you need. Not only will you get to meet the manufacturers themselves, you will be taken to the facilities where your clothing line will be produced.

ASAP has added more shows to their roster this year, as well as more cities for you to choose from. March 13-22 we will be visiting the following cities, Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou. And on July 10-22 we will be visiting these cities ShenZhen, Daleng, Shaxi, Macau, Hong Kong. Both trips are only $980 plus the cost of your airfare to and from China. For more information please visit our website www.asapbuyingtrip.com


 

Matt Priest Named as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles and Apparel: The Department of Commerce recently announced that Matt Priest has been named deputy assistant secretary for textiles and apparel. In his new role, Priest will oversee programs and strategies to improve the domestic and international competitiveness of the U.S. fiber, textile and apparel industries as well as chair the interagency Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. The deputy assistant secretary for textiles and apparel administers U.S. textile quota agreements, formulates trade policy, performs research and analysis, compiles industry data and promotes U.S. trade events for an entire spectrum of textile and apparel goods. Priest currently serves as senior advisor to the assistant secretary for import administration at the DOC. Prior to his job at the Import Administration, Priest was legislative director for Representative Sue Myrick, R-N.C. Priest succeeds James Leonard, who served in the position from 2002 until September of 2006. Matt has been invited to speak at THA’s Annual Convention in April.

U.S. and Brazil Discuss Reviving Doha Round: U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab met with Brazilian Foreign Affairs Minister Celso Amorim this week in what were considered preliminary discussions on how to revive the Doha Round negotiations. The Doha Round stalled last July largely over disagreements between key members on how to handle agriculture. The Democrats’ electoral victory in November and the pending July 1 expiration of trade promotion authority have caused some to raise doubts about the chances for concluding the talks; however, Schwab has maintained that the Bush administration will continue to press for the conclusion of the round while also moving forward with bilateral trade agreements. Brazil and the EU have taken similar positions.

U.S., India Launch Industry Working Group on Legal Services: The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has announced the formation of a working group of U.S. and Indian legal experts that will discuss market access and other relevant issues concerning legal services. A USTR press release states that the mission of the working group is to promote greater interaction between legal professionals in the two countries and to facilitate bilateral trade in legal services. The group plans to conduct its initial meetings and formulate an agenda in the first months of 2007.

Import Limits Adjusted for Vietnam: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements issued a directive late December adjusting the import limits for certain cotton, wool and manmade fiber textiles and textile products produced or manufactured in Vietnam and exported during the period Jan. 1, 2006, through Dec. 1, 2006. The 2006 limits for certain categories are being increased for carryforward applied from the 2007 limits, which are being reduced accordingly.

Duty-Free Treatment Approved for Textile Articles from Mali: CITA has determined, following consultations with the government of Mali, that hand-loomed fabrics, hand-loomed articles (e.g., rugs, scarves, place mats and table cloths), handmade articles made from hand-loomed fabrics, certain folklore articles, and ethnic printed fabrics that are produced in and exported from Mali are eligible for duty-free treatment under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Such products must be accompanied by an AGOA export visa for grouping 9 (handmade, hand-loomed or folklore articles) issued by the government of Mali to qualify for such treatment. CITA has therefore directed CBP, effective Jan. 16, 2007, to allow the duty-free entry of such products of Mali under HTSUS 9819.11.27 when accompanied by an appropriate export visa.

US Unlikely to Amend Trade Remedy Laws in Korea, Malaysia FTAs: A report submitted to Congress by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative last month indicates that the U.S. is not likely to amend its trade remedy laws as a result of free trade agreements now under negotiation with South Korea and Malaysia. The report stated that the U.S. will not accept any of the reform proposals submitted to date by Korea and that Malaysia has not made any requests that would require changes to U.S. laws. The U.S. rejected a package of Korean requests regarding trade remedies during the most recent formal round of negotiations.

 

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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