FASH455 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Child Labour, Trade Preference
16 May 2018
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FASH455 Overview: Global Apparel and Textile Trade and Sourcing
• Focus on: critical thinking, global vision, cultural diversity, communication &
reasoning skills
• First half of semester = mapping the 21st century US and world economy
− Globalization
− Trade theory
− Global textile and apparel activities
• Second half of semester = mapping the 21st century global apparel supply chain
− US Textile and apparel industry
− Textile & apparel industry/market in America
− Textile & apparel industry/market in Asia
− Textile & apparel industry/market in the EU
− Textile & apparel trade policy
• 97.5% of apparel consumed in the US in imported (from over 150 countries)
• 0% of surveyed companies from an industry benchmarking survey in 2016 used
only textiles & apparel make in a single country, 100% sourced from multiple
countries
• Trump withdrew US from Trans-Pacific Partnership
− Would have cut tariffs on apparel and made US apparel brands, like Gap,
more competitive (Gap pays $500 million + a year in duties on their
apparel)
− TPP supported by Target → trade = growing economy & job creation
• US textile industry (manufacturers of fibers, yarns, and fabrics) and US apparel
industry (fashion brands, importers, and retailers) fight over the “yarn-forward”
rules of origin
• US fashion brands are increasing hiring supply chain specialists, souring
specialist, market analysts and buyers → knowledge of sourcing is a must for all
of these
• Value of US apparel imports = +77% from 1998-2015
• US apparel manufacturing jobs = -78% from 1998-2015
• Imports create more high-quality, high paid jobs in the US apparel industry
− Ex. Buyer, software developer, sales manager, legal jobs, designer,
marketing manager
− Debate over whether to favor manufacturing jobs or supply chain/service
jobs
• Do you know under what conditions your garments were made?
o Rhana Plaza, fatal fire in Bangladesh
o Child labor
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
