Former NFL SuperBowl Player and NFL Man of the Year Carlton Bailey joins speaker line up at THA's Marketing Symposium - March 13–14, 2006 at the Charlotte Marriott Executive Park in Charlotte, NC .  Bailey will team up with Roger Cullis, Associate Producer of Sports Roundtable in discussing 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 symposium will also feature guest speaker including 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 recent issues 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.

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. Early response has been overwhelming. This presentation is not likely to be repeated so please register now to assure your reservation.

THA Executive Committee Meeting – April 7 at THA offices in Charlotte, NC.

THA Board of Directors Meeting – April 27 at The Mulberry Inn in Savannah, GA.

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 the convention registration is Friday, April 7. Hotel reservations can still be made at The Mulberry Inn through Monday, March 27 (17 Days and Counting). 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.

[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.

Trade Surplus With U.S. up by 16.5 Percent: Pakistan’s trade surplus with the United States increased by 16.52% to $1.883 billion in 2004-05 over $1.616 billion achieved in the previous year. Official sources told a reporter on Friday that the increase was due to enhanced exports of textile and leather products during the year under review.

Pakistan has been enjoying significant trade surplus with the U.S. since 1999. It was $1.467 billion in 1999-2000; $1.680 billion in 2000-01; $1.569 billion in 2001-02, $1.881 billion in 2002-03 and $1.616 billion in the year 2003-04. The total volume of bilateral trade rose to $5 billion during the year 2004-05 as against $4.270 billion in the previous year, an increase of over 17%.

The statistics, however, indicated that Pakistan trade surplus remained stagnant during the last six years as it failed to cross the psychological barrier of $2 billion mark. Official statistics revealed that Pakistan exported $3.446 billion worth of goods to the US during the year 2004-05 against $2.943 billion goods exported during the previous year, showing an increase of 17.09%. The US exports to Pakistan increased by 17.79% to $1.562 billion during the year under review against $1.326 billion of the previous year.

The product-wise major exports to the US showed that Islamabad exported apparel and clothing worth $1.225 billion to the US in 2004-05 against the same goods worth $1.117 billion in the previous year, showing an increase of 9.66%. Exports of textile materials and made-up including towels stood at $1104.740 million against $861.893 million in the previous year, registering an increase of 28.17%; hosiery export was $79.532 million against $59.267 million, an increase of 34.1%.

Exports of cotton fabrics (woven) to the US during the period under review stood at $292.185 million against $333.328 million in the previous year, showing a decrease of 12.34%; synthetic fabrics exports stood at $65.980 million against $47.001 million in the previous year, an increase of 40%; special textile fabrics and related products at $18.487 million against $27.405 million, a decrease of 32.54%; and rice exports up by 57% to $18.107 million against $11.514 million.

Pamela Anderson hijacked a House of Flaunt fashion event for Japanese designers The Sly and turned it into an anti-fur protest.The former Baywatch Star was to make an appearance wearing a low cut wrap dress designed by the company but she refused to be seated until everyone removed any fur they were wearing. Then she had the designers publicly vow never to use fur and had them shake on it. The House of Flaunt is a pre-Oscar event in which celebrities are showered with free stuff by companies hoping to get them to use their products.

The mood of the Fall Winter 2006 collections has been described as somber and sober. Karl Lagerfeld recently summed up the new modesty and lack of color on the runway by saying;"If you read the daily papers, you are not in the mood for pink and green." Others are taking a more sinister view of the situation and calling it the "Muslim-ization" of fashion. Whether the shift is conscious or unconscious the trend is clearly visible this season. Designers showed lots of draped layers and modest colors. But the real explanation may be less complex and politically loaded. After years of exposed midriffs and brilliant colors it is inevitable that things would swing back to something a bit more modest.

In a recent article in Glamour Magazine Victoria Beckham dispensed what she called her Ten Commandments of fashion. Her approach may be a bit pricey for women who earn less than several million dollars a year.

• Visualize your overall look
• Borrow from another era, especially the 1950s
• Shop the world preferably Japan and New York
• Find a fashion failsafe, for example, a baggy Stella McCartney jumper dress
• Accessorize. Get the right bag, shoes or sunglasses
• Invest in timeless classics
• Customize by cutting the waistband off jeans. Or wearing inside-out T-shirts
• Dress from the inside out. Attention to underwear detail might be Agent Provocateur for knickers and Calvin Klein's T-shirt bras
• Trust in the opinions of few friends
• Don't let it all hang out; it's much sexier to leave a little to the imagination

Oscar nominated actress Keira Knightley has signed a million dollar 3 year deal to be the face of Chanel. Knightly replaces Kate Moss who fall out of favor with the fashion house after her recent drug problems. The 21 year-old British actress who was nominated for her role as Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice knocked them out on the red carpet with a merlot-colored Vera Wang gown and stunning necklace designed by Bulgari in the 1960's.

US and Malaysia Announce Launch of FTA Talks. On March 8, US Trade Representative (USTR) Rob Portman announced the Administration’s intent to negotiate a free trade agreement (FTA) with Malaysia. Portman made the announcement on Capitol Hill and was joined by Malaysian Minister of Trade Rafidah Aziz and a bipartisan group of leaders in Congress. The negotiations will begin after the expiration of a 90-day consultation period with Congress. “This FTA would be the third we are negotiating in the economically vibrant and strategically important Southeast Asia region and will advance the President’s Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative,” said Portman.

According to the USTR, the US is Malaysia’s largest trading partner and the largest foreign investor in Malaysia. US exports to Malaysia totaled $10.5 billion in 2005, with top export categories including electrical machinery, machinery, optic and medical instruments, aircraft, and plastic. The largest categories of imports from Malaysia were electrical machinery, machinery, furniture and bedding, rubber, and optic and medical instruments.

Costa Rica’s Arias Vows to Push DR-CAFTA through Congress. Shortly after formally being declared the winner in Costa Rica’s presidential race, Oscar Arias vowed to get the DR-CAFTA through the country’s Congress, Reuters reports. Some sources predict that this may not be easy, as Arias’ National Liberation Party does not have a majority in the legislative body. Costa Rica’s Supreme Court will have to decide whether the agreement needs a simple majority or a two-thirds majority for passage. Arias takes office on May 8.

DR-CAFTA Implementation Issues
On March 1, 2006, the US-Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) entered into force for El Salvador. However, a number of issues have arisen with respect to implementation of the agreement for only one country, and it has also become apparent that several technical corrections need to be made to the agreement. Importers will have to maintain a close watch on these and other issues that may arise.

Co-Produced Merchandise

• The staggered implementation with respect to El Salvador leaves open the status of CBTPA-qualifying merchandise that is co-produced in El Salvador using inputs from other DR-CAFTA countries. For example, a garment assembled in El Salvador from US yarn knit into fabric in Honduras is NOT eligible for duty-free entry under the CBTPA or DR-CAFTA until the latter becomes effective for Honduras.

Retroactive Claims for Textiles and Apparel

• The USTR has determined that retroactive claims may be filed for DR-CAFTA qualifying textile and apparel articles from El Salvador, and CBP has issued interim regulations specifying how and when such claims may be filed (see attached notices for more details). The regulations state that for each signatory country, retroactive claims must be filed by the later of December 31, 2006, or 90 days from the date DR-CAFTA goes into effect for that country. However, the regulations as currently written would deny importers the right to make a retroactive claim for a good from a signatory country that implements DR-CAFTA by December 31, 2006, if that good contains an input of a signatory country that implements in 2007.

Short Supply

• For any apparel made using a short supply yarn or fabric that is elastomeric, the elastomeric yarn must be DR-CAFTA originating for the apparel to be eligible for preferential treatment. This problem results from a typographical error in the text of the agreement that will need to be fixed through agreement by the signatory countries and then implemented via enactment of a technical corrections bill or other legislative measure. Until such a bill is passed, any stretch short supply goods must be made using DR-CAFTA elastomeric yarns (which currently means using El Salvadoran or US-origin elastomeric yarns).

• Certain descriptions of short supply fabrics in the agreement contain errors. These errors will have to be corrected by agreement among the signatory countries and then through either a technical corrections bill or other legislative measure.

• It is not clear if short supply designations pending determination that are granted on or after March 1, 2006, which may apply to CBTPA countries, will be carried over and allowed to apply under DR-CAFTA.

• CITA has issued the interim procedures that it will follow in implementing the DR-CAFTA short supply provisions. These procedures appear to include a provision that would allow CITA to remove a product from the short supply list if it determines that new information is available. This provision appears to be outside the scope of the agreement.

• CITA’s interim procedures also require that short supply petitioners and potential suppliers submit a “due diligence certificate” stating that they have made the necessary investigations regarding the commercial availability of the product at issue. However, CITA is not required to provide any information regarding its decision, other than to inform the public if the petition has been granted or denied.

United States and Ukraine Sign Bilateral WTO Accession Agreement on Market Access On March 6, U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman and Ukrainian Minister of Economy Arseniy Yatsenyuk formally signed a bilateral agreement on market access issues as part of Ukraine’s WTO accession negotiations. This agreement is a major step towards Ukraine’s completion of its accession negotiations. Ukraine’s tariff commitments in the agreement include eventual duty free entry of information technology, e.g., computers and semiconductors, and aircraft products and harmonization of tariffs on chemical imports at very low or zero rates of duty. The bilateral agreement also addressed concerns related to specific sanitary and phytosanitary measures of priority to U.S. exporters, shelf-life standards, protection of undisclosed information for pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals (as required by the WTO), imports of information technology products with encryption, the operation of state- owned firms based on commercial considerations, and reduction of export duties on non-ferrous and steel scrap. Congressional action is necessary to terminate application of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment to Ukraine. This will clear the way for the two countries to apply the WTO Agreement between them when Ukraine becomes a WTO member.