According to Ministry of Industry reports, the footwear industry? export turnover was registered only US$1.4 billion in the first six months of the year, just 2.8 per cent higher than the same period last year.The ministry's experts attributed the gloomy picture to intense competition with Chinese products, as China can produce raw materials for local producers while Viet Nam has to import about 70 per cent of total raw material volume used for exports.Some countries in the region, which were hi

China's leather footwear sector may become the second aim of European Union (EU) anti-dumping charges by as early as next month, according to the China Leather Association (CLA). "According to our information, the EU is proposing a new round of anti-dumping investigations against a wide range of leather shoes from China," said Wei Yafei, the association's spokeswoman. This anti-dumping probe, which is predicted to cover nearly 30 classes of shoes, could be a big blow to Chinese manufacturers. "I

More than 10 clothing factories in Lesotho have shut down in recent months.The textile and clothing manufacturing industry is not a sustainable option for Southern Africa in the long term, according to a UN economist. The sector - one of Southern Africa's few export industries - is struggling to compete in a quota-free global market.Manufacturers have been hard-hit by the termination of the Multi-Fibre Agreement (MFA), which came to an end in January this year. The MFA was introduced 30 years ag

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) anticipates a two percent rise in worldwide cotton consumption to 109 million cotton bales in the 2005-06 year due to higher increase in textile output in ChinaAs per the report of ICAC, world consumption is expected to rise at a record of 23.7 million tons or 109 million bales in 2005-06, up half a million tons or 2 percent.Cotton consumption in China is likely to reach 8.6 million tons in 2005-06, up 5 percent on this season and exceeding anti

Workers to file complaint against illegal, unfair trade practicesA group of Canadian workers is taking unprecedented action this week to stem the flow of Chinese imports devastating Canada? clothing and textile industry. The industry, Canada? 6th-largest manufacturing sector, is under siege since China joined the World Trade Organization and started flooding Canadian markets. Now, members of the union UNITE HERE Canada, which represents workers in Canada? clothing industry, will appeal to the Ca

Genencor International Inc, announced the availability of an innovative product for the textile processing industry, which offers manufacturers greater flexibility and more efficient processing during the hydrogen peroxide elimination step.OXY-GONE T400 catalase is a highly robust, thermostable liquid enzyme that is active in a wide range of temperatures and pH values, and is least susceptible to hydrogen peroxide. The product is easy to formulate, shows great stability, and provides significant

ROK. When the EU and US released restriction policies the Dalian Association of Clothing Industry and large numbers of garment export companies reached another consensus - to vigorously forge the concept of "Dalian-made" and to eventually realize the goal of making "Dalian-made" a brand representing high quality in the international textile market. Going global - market diversification is an effective way Some textile companies that have overseas production bases were not worried on hear

Despite its status as a leading textile producer in the world, China still lacks brand names of its own, both for garments and textile machinery. That is why a shirt made in China and embedded with a foreign brand sells expensively on the world market, but only 20 percent of the profit goes to the Chinese factory. Chinese homemade textile machineries are rarely available even at domestic workshops, most of whom have imported high end production facilities from Germany, Japan and the Repu

Viet Nam? apparel and garments exports slightly rise by 0.1 per cent to over US $2 billion in the first half of the current year. An industry veteran warned that the export turnover for the whole year will be at $4.8 billion, about $400 million less than anticipated. Insiders credited the performance to a recession in the US and EU markets.According to the Ministry of Industry, the sector earned $871 million from US exports in the first half of 2005, about 3 per cent lower than the same period l

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced that the Bush Administration is sending proposed statutory changes to the Congress in the program generally known as the Step 2 cotton program and the export credit guarantee programs to comply with a recent WTO cotton decision in a dispute with Brazil."By implementing these proposed changes, we are being fully responsive to the WTO decision," said Johanns. "This step is essential for United States to continue to be a leader in the WTO Doha negotiatio