The following is a round-up of apparel and footwear news from the world’s local media. just-style has not checked these stories so cannot guarantee their accuracy.

  • China’s government is considering a plan to lower tariffs on some luxury goods, although it is unclear which products might be included and by how much they will be reduced. China’s luxury tariffs currently add an extra 10% to 30% to the price of imported products including handbags, watches, and cosmetics. As a result, Chinese luxury consumers do much of their buying in Hong Kong and abroad. WALL STREET JOURNAL
  • Over 4,000 workers at the Simone handbag factory in Guangzhou, China have gone on strike, demanding better working conditions and higher wages, according to reports. The Hualong plant produces handbags for brands such as DKNY, Burberry, Kate Spade and Coach. Workers complained they were forced to stand for 12 hours daily and given toilet breaks once every four hours. SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
  • 17 Indian firms manufacturing garments and accessories visited Vietnam this week to seek investment opportunities with Vietnamese apparel makers. Vietnam is estimated to have earned US$6.16bn from shipping garment and textile products abroad in the first half of this year, rising 30% from 2010, while importing nearly $3.7bn worth of cotton cloth. VIETNAM NEWS BRIEF SERVICE
  • Sri Lanka is seeing a surge in demand for its apparel exports, which may allow the sector to meet targets earlier than planned, according to reports. Apparel export circles said that the first quarter of 2011, Sri Lanka’s apparel exports surged by 74% to US$1,225m, despite earlier fears that the loss of trade preferences to the European Union would affect sales. ASIAN TRIBUNE
  • Pan Asia Footwear, a subsidiary of Thailand’s Saha Group, has said it will close and merge about 20 subsidiaries in a bid to reduce administration and operation costs. The measures come after the unit racked up losses of THB1bn in the past two years as customers such as Nike shifted orders to China and Vietnam. It now plans to focus on its own brands. THE NATION