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.

  • A trade union group in the Philippines is leading calls for President-apparent Benigno Aquino III to persuade American lawmakers to pass a bill giving Philippine-made apparel zero or preferential tariff rates to the United States. If the US Congress fails to act on the Save our Industries Act, it will expire this December. INQUIRER
  • Japanese apparel firm Itokin Co is reorganising its factories in China, in a move that involves closing three sites and shifting operations to four locations in Shanghai, Hangzhou and Qingdao. However, once production is streamlined it plans to open more stores to sell four fashion brands in China. ASIA PULSE
  • Indonesia’s textile industry claims to be facing a shortage of viscose staple fibre since the country’s two largest viscose staple fibre makers export most of their output. Local textile firms say they expect a shortfall of 33% or 100,000 tons this year – with the Indonesia Textile Association (API) suggesting the government impose an export duty on the fibre to boost supplies to domestic fabric and yarn firms. BISNIS INDONESIA
  • An investment fund operated by the BTG Pactual bank has bought a 37.5% stake in Textilia, the holding company of denim major Vicunha Textil. Vicunha recently signed an agreement with the Mato Grosso state administration to set up a BRL350m textiles hub capable of producing 72m metres of fabric a year. Due to come on stream in 2013, it will make Vicunha the world’s largest textiles producer. VALOR ECONOMICO