TEXTILE GROUPS WANT INPUT IN U.S. TEXTILE WORKING GROUP

TEXTILE GROUPS WANT INPUT IN U.S. TEXTILE WORKING GROUP    Four of the country’s largest textile import association told U.S. Commerce Secretary Donald Evans that they want their views included in the deliberations of the newly formed inter-governmental Textile Working Group.
   The four associations are the American Apparel & Footwear Association, International Mass Retail Association, National Retail Federation, and U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel.
   The Textile Working Group was formed by the Bush administration to fulfill commitments it made in advance of the House’s Dec. 6 vote on Trade Promotion Authority.
   In a letter to Evans, the associations focused on the increasing interdependence of all segments of the sewn products industry, and asked that the Textile Working Group consider problems affecting the U.S. textile and apparel importing and retailing industry.
   “The name of the game is transparency and inclusiveness,” said Kevin Burke, president of the American Apparel and Footwear Association. “It doesn’t make sense to us to address issues affecting the apparel industry without the involvement of the entire apparel industry from the very beginning.”