The following is a roundup of apparel and footwear news from the world’s local media. just-style has not checked these stories so cannot guarantee their accuracy.
- Thailand’s Central Wage Committee has postponed a decision on a proposed hike to the minimum wage after deciding more research is needed to arrive at an appropriate figure. Earlier proposals suggested a rise of THB7 a day to THB213 (US$7), but this falls below THB228 living wage calculated by the Labour Ministry. BANGKOK POST
- New Zealand’s textiles industry says a free trade agreement with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will help boost wool exports to the region. Formal negotiations are due to begin next year. RADIO NEW ZEALAND
- Garment factory workers in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh have claim they are worse off since the new minimum wage came into effect on 1 October, because landlords and transport providers have responded by raising their prices. THE PHNOM PENH POST
- Three of Taiwan’s three leading garment makers – Eclat Textile, Makalot Industrial, and Tainan Enterprises – are expanding their overseas capacities in expectation of an uptick in the market. Eclat is investing in two garment plants in Vietnam; Makalot is growing its business in Vietnam and Indonesia; and Tainan Enterprises plans to expand its operations in China. TAIWAN ECONOMIC NEWS
- The Garment Association of Nepal (GAN) has expressed its concerns after the government failed to incorporate its recommendations in the 2010-11 budget. It had hoped for a Special Economic Zone for the garment sector and a lobby for duty-free access to the US market. But some provisions have been welcomed, including cash incentives from foreign currency earnings and a 25% tax rebate on export income. THE HIMALAYAN TIMES
