International
News
- August 2006
Canada , July 21, 2006 , (CBC News) - Canadian military
uniforms are not up to the task in Afghanistan , a former
soldier has charged.
Tyler Salmond, who served six months in Afghanistan ,
said the soldiers find it difficult to take cover in their
desert camouflage uniforms.
"Ambient light reflects off the material that's
used, so you actually contrast against the desert background," Salmond
said.
The former soldier also said the pockets on the uniforms
tear easily, causing troops to lose important documents,
and many soldiers are paying for repairs themselves.
Maj. Laird Coghill, who helps run the program where the
uniforms are designed, said the soldiers surveyed in Afghanistan
haven't raised these concerns with him. He acknowledged,
however, that the uniforms naturally show signs of wear
and tear.
David Bercuson, a professor and military expert at the
University of Calgary , said the military needs to respond
faster to these kinds of complaints.
"You've gotta build into the process some flexibility, so that it can be
changed and modified relatively quickly once shortfalls begin," he said.
Canada has about 2,200 soldiers stationed in Afghanistan
as part of a multinational brigade.
München, Germany, July 6, 2006 (Textile Web)— ITMA,
which in 2007 will be held at the New Munich Trade Fair
Centre, September 13-20, is the largest and most renowned
trade fair of international textile engineering and the
all-encompassing industry meeting place at the same time.
Machines and accessories are presented for the complete
textile chain in a range, which is unique in the world
and which extends from spinning to flat fabric production
(weaving, knitting and nonwovens manufacture) all the way
to finishing and manufacturing ready-made clothes including
relevant products such as software, material flow logistics,
test and measurement equipment, waste water treatment and
textile chemicals.
Consequently, ITMA is also designed for customers, who
are searching for solutions for very different areas in
the textile chain. Exhibitors, who offer products for several
areas of the textile chain, profit especially from ITMA
participation.
ITMA 2007 will also be an important trade fair for innovations
in the making-up industry. Thanks to the numerous interfaces
to other process steps of the textile chain, these companies
will be located in the central Hall B 2, from where production
techniques of preliminary stages such as fabric production
and finishing can be reached quickly. Demanding customers
from the European and North American clothing industries
will especially use ITMA to obtain information about current
technology trends and prepare investment decisions.
The organizers also expect many visitors from South America,
the Middle East and Asia. Customers from these countries
appreciate the comprehensive offer of information and the
numerous world firsts at ITMA, which are presented regularly.
Technical textiles attract special attention. As at no
other event, visitors are presented with a wide range of
technology and processes for manufacturing technical textiles
in action, which in turn makes it possible to compare different
technologies as production alternatives.
Software solutions and material flow technology will
be another important aspect of ITMA in Munich. The number
of exhibitors has increased continually in these segments
over the past years. Software and material flow logistics
suppliers will also be located centrally to do justice
to their decisive lateral function along the complete textile
change.
To become an exhibitor or to learn more, visit www.itma-munich.com
Bangkok, Thailand, July 17, 2006 (Company Release) – The
Bangkok International Fashion Fair and Bangkok International
Leather Fair 2006 (BIFF&BIL 2006), organized by the
Thai Ministry of Commerce’s Department of Export
Promotion, will return again this year from September 27
to October 1, 2006, under the theme of ‘A Brave New
World of Fabulous Fashion’, at the Bangkok International
Exhibition Center (BITEC). Complimenting the Thai government’s
ambitious plans to establish Bangkok as one of the fashion
capitals of the world, the event will provide a platform
for aspiring and leading designers, manufacturers and suppliers
from all over Asia , and especially Thailand , to showcase
their innovative designs, ready-to-wear apparels, accessories
and leather goods.
‘A Brave New World of Fabulous Fashion’ at
BIFF&BIL 2006 is expected to draw over 900 exhibitors,
falling into four distinct categories, namely Handicraft
Product Manufacturers, Retail Exporters, Original Equipment
Manufacturing (OEM) and Brand Owners. The event will also
incorporate special showcases to further reflect the theme
such as the Young Designers Room, which will feature future ‘brave’ fashion
designs and trends in both the clothing and leather industries
from the creativity of Thailand ’s next generation
of designers.
To enhance the underlying energy and excitement at BIFF&BIL
2006, there will also be an OTOP (One Tambon One Product)
Exhibition, which will showcase unique products made by
Thai cottage or community industries, and special exhibitions
featuring the development of textiles in Thailand to meet
the demands of international designers -- Thai Tex Trend
(T3) and Lanna Fashion.
Register now to reserve your space at BIFF&BIL 2006
in Bangkok , and for more details and registration, visit
http://www.depthai.go.th , http://www.thaitradefair.com
July 12, 2006 (Textile Web) - Guatemala finally made
it into the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)
on July 1, joining El Salvador , Nicaragua and Honduras
who have previously ratified the treaty. However, this
still leaves trade irregularities for the four members
while the Dominican Republic has again had entry postponed.
Entry into the force for Costa Rica will not be likely
in the near future.
The main difficulty facing the agreement is an irregularity
created due to this staggered implementation process.
Upon joining CAFTA, the four countries have now left
the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act
This means they are unable to use inputs from suppliers
that remain in the CBTPA, especially countries waiting
for CAFTA to come into force.
For example, if a shirt put together in Honduras contained
material from Cost Rica , instead of paying the expected
zero per cent import duty, this would be raised to the
normal 30 per cent rate.
The result has seen supply chains being affected while
importers desperately search for alternative inputs.
CAFTA was originally due to have come into force for
all countries by January 1, 2004 before the US pushed the
date back to January 1, 2006 .
But even then there were problems as all of the countries
signing the deal had yet to change their domestic laws
required by the US for implementation.
The US said that a country could join when this had been
done but have seen much criticism in member countries due
to the perceived harshness of the requirements.
The Dominican Republic has ratified CAFTA but, like Costa
Rica , has yet to pass the necessary laws needed to comply
with treaty rules.
Local reports suggest that companies in the Dominican
Republic are concerned over the delays and believe this
is deterring potential investment in the country.
The government is waiting on replies from the US regarding
the implementation process following various meetings recently
held between the two sides.
Meanwhile, Costa Rica has an even harder, uphill task
ahead of it as President Oscar Arias only has the tiniest
of majorities and may need a two-third majority for approval.
Compared with the CBTPA, signing up to CAFTA means improved
and simplified rules of origin (RoO).
Whereas most eligible apparel for US duty free access
require inputs of US yarn, fabric and thread from CBTPA
countries, this is not the case for CAFTA.
Instead they are allowed to use inputs from any other
CAFTA member country.
So-called 'tariff shift rules' are also in place when
using non-originating inputs from outside of the region.
The most common of these is the 'yarn forward' rule which
uses inputs from outside of CAFTA.
This means that outside fibers can be used but must be
spun, and then processed into the final article in one
or more CAFTA countries in order to qualify for zero tariffs.
The US has also negotiated a change to the 'pocket fabric
rule of origin modification'.
During negotiations in July last year, the future CAFTA
countries agreed they would use US or regional pocketing
fabrics.
The modification benefits mainly US producers who stood
to lose around $100 million in annual exports if the request
was refused.
Use of such fabric from China , for example, would mean
Central American exports to the US no longer being entitled
to duty-free treatment.
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