Things are changing…
- I never thought I could purchase Made in USA yarn 18/s or 20/s, ship it to India, have it knitted into fabric, finished, dyed, cut and sewn into T-Shirts, and shipped back to the USA, and pay the applicable duty, cheaper than purchasing the full package from India.
- When have I seen China having their growth rate slowed, export prices going up, and struggling in certain Textile/Apparel export areas, and not having QUOTA involved?
- Now since Homeland Security has the Customs and Border Patrol Departments under their jurisdiction, the actual making of such HUGE volume arrests in FAKE , TRANSHIPPED, CONTRABAND, and SMUGGLED products of so many NAME BRANDS, it is mind-boggling!
- The so-called broker’s agents, offering products below fair market prices, but trying to change wording in Letters of Credit to eliminate Certificates of Inspection, or cash up front, and then never delivering the approved sample, of the product originally offered.
Most of the above have always been happening in our business, but it seems that the unethical business practices are increasing…”So Buyer Beware!”
With global currencies being devalued, or even overvalued, with Government policies trying to stabilize both export and import trade, they are creating short-term negative policies, making it very difficult to plan for the future.
When you take the vast rises of unemployment especially here in the USA, the retailer is not about to raise prices, in fact they are asking for more promotional monies from their vendor to subsidize promotions to create traffic…The banks though they have monies to lend, and that they are borrowing at almost no interest cost to them, are requiring more asset collateral than ever to offset every and each dollar they are lending, and not shy about asking very high interest rates.
Will the purchasing of just core products be the way of our future, or will FASHION, have a chance to create the desires for customers to buy product? It has been written that the LUXURY market is starting to move forward, but this customer is looking for more value in what they are purchasing.
There already has been a narrowing of the SKU’s being carried by the retailers, that thinking of the consumer is becoming not to purchase just “STUFF”, but purchasing necessities, core basics, and the desirability of more quality value.
Another conflict – QUALITY vs. QUANTITY!
It still amazes me the number of toasters, or coffee makers, electric can openers, a family household really needs, as back when I was a BOY, things were made to last and last. Sourcing of product still in my opinion, must be made “eye to eye”, “Face to Face”, and not by internet computer. RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS, and RELATIONSHIPS, will help this roller coaster ride of international trade turn, RIGHT SIDE UP! So we can plan for the future growth of our industry.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
