Textile Articles on February, 2020, List of China 301 Exclusions

On February 19, 2020, the Office of the United States Trade Representative announced exclusions from the 25% China 301 tariffs.

Article descriptions for 47 types of merchandise were included in this list of exclusions, of which eight relate to textile articles--

9) Fabrics wholly of cotton, unbleached, plain weave, weighing not more than 100 g/m², of numbers 43 to 68 ("cheesecloth"), 3-layer folded and crimped, less than 28 cm wide after folding and crimping, compliant with standards of Aerospace Management Services (AMS) (described in statistical reporting number 5208.11.4090)

10) Fabrics wholly of cotton, bleached, plain weave, weighing not more than 100 g/m², of numbers 43 to 68 ("cheesecloth"), compliant with standards of Aerospace Management Services (AMS) (described in statistical reporting number 5208.21.4090)

11) Woven fabrics of synthetic filament yarn, dyed, weighing more than 280 g/m2 but not more than 420 g/m2 (described in statistical reporting number 5407.92.2090)

12) Sheeting fabrics containing less than 85 percent by weight of artificial staple fibers, mixed mainly or solely with cotton, such artificial staple fibers derived from wood, printed (described in statistical reporting number 5516.44.0022)

13) Non-woven fabrics of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), in sheets measuring not more than 160 cm by 250 cm, weighing more than 1,800 g/m2 but not more than 3,000 g/m2 (described in statistical reporting number 5603.94.9090)

14) Fabrics wholly of polyester, warp knit, bonded to a plain weave backing fabric, measuring not more than 141 cm in width, weighing over 271 g/m2, of a kind used to upholster furniture (described in statistical reporting number 6001.92.0010)

15) Knitted or crocheted fabrics of artificial staple fibers derived from bamboo (described in statistical reporting number 6003.40.6000)

16) Fabrics wholly of polyester, warp knit, printed, bonded to a woven backing wholly of polyester, weighing not less than 290 g/m2 but not more than 500 g/m2, of a kind used to upholster furniture (described in statistical reporting number 6005.39.0080)

Fabrics Sought for CAFTA Application

Agathon Associates have been contacted by an apparel manufacturer in Guatemala seeking the following fabrics.

FABRIC SPECS		Need Q'ty in 2020	until March 2020	until June 2020
Fiber content :	87/13% Polyester/Wool 2 Layer Merino Wool	7,000 yds	3,000 yds	4,000 yds
Yarn number :	Outside : 41s 70/30% Poly/Wool, Inside : 40s Polyester Spun
Fabric :	Circular (Double Knit)
Weight :	230g/m2
Finished :	Wicking

FABRIC SPECS		Need Q'ty in 2020	until March 2020	until June 2020
Fiber content :	87/13% Polyester/Wool Thermawool	6,000 yds	3,000 yds	3,000 yds
Yarn number :	70s 70/30% Poly/Wool, Inside : DTY 100D/144F
Fabric :	Circular (Double Knit)
Weight :	180g/m2
Finished :	Wicking, Pin Brush Insade

FABRIC SPECS		Need Q'ty in 2020	until March 2020	until June 2020
Fiber content :	57% EcoNyl Regenerated Nylon, 38% PA, 5% Spandex	2,000 yds	1,000 yds	1,000 yds
Yarn number :	152/70 Econyl Regenerated Nylon, 95/70 PA Covering Yarn with SP 40D
Fabric :	Plain Weave with Spandex
Weight :	107g/m2
Finished :	N/A

FABRIC SPECS		Need Q'ty in 2020	until March 2020	until June 2020
Fiber content :	100% Polyester with a coated PU face	1,000 yds	500 yds	500 yds
Yarn number :	DTY 150/144
Fabric :	Circular (Single Knit)
Weight :	240g/m2
Finished :	Pin Brush Inside

If you are interested in this business opportunity contact David Trumbull at david@agathonassociates.com and I'll put you in touch with the requesting company.

CPSC Staff to Meeting with ASTM on Wearable Technology

Patricia Edwards and other staff from the Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Hazard Identification and Reduction will be meeting with ASTM staff regarding wearable technology and potential standards development. The meeting will be held on February 27, 2020 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm at CPSC Headquarters in Bethesda, MD. For more information on this meeting, including room location, please contact Patricia Edwards (pedwards@cpsc.gov or 301-987-2224).

AFA 35th Annual Meeting: 3/31-4/1, 2020

The American Flock Association has announced that this year’s annual meeting will be in Washington, DC in conjunction with the National Council of Textile Organization’s annual meeting. Join powerful industry leaders for two days of meetings and networking. The Executive Committee will meet on Tuesday March 31 at 10:30. The afternoon will have special meetings leading into the evening banquet with the keynote presentation by Presidential Assistant Dr. Peter Navarro. Thursday morning, April 1, will begin with a buffet breakfast, then a morning filled with presentations, followed by a buffet lunch.

For more information, or to register, CLICK HERE.

NCTO Launches Blog Series on Sustainability in the U.S. Textile Industry

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), representing the full spectrum of U.S. textiles from fiber though finished sewn products, is launching a new blog series on sustainability in the U.S. textile industry.

They plan to use the series to highlight the significant strides the U.S. textile industry has made to mitigate the impact of manufacturing processes on the environment.

Two new blog posts which includes an interview with UNIFI, Inc.

• American Textiles: We Make Amazing Sustainability Series February 13, 2020.

• American Textiles: We Make Amazing Sustainability Series - UNIFI, Inc. February 14, 2020.

Check NCTO Textiles in the News website frequently for updated interviews with textile executives. We will interview prominent U.S. textile companies about their sustainability commitments, goals and initiatives, while also amplifying the stories on Capitol Hill.

Oxford Bags, Big in the 1920s, Big in the 2020s

As seen in the March 2020 issue of Esquire.

USTR Announces Formation of Bilateral Evaluation and Dispute Resolution Office Pursuant to U.S.-China Phase One Agreement

On February 14, 2020, the Office of the United States Trade Representative announced the formation of a new Bilateral Evaluation and Dispute Resolution Office, as envisioned by Article 7.2.2 of the Phase One economic and trade agreement signed by the United States and China on January 15, 2020. This office will monitor China’s implementation of its commitments under the Phase One agreement and will be responsible for working with China’s corresponding Bilateral Evaluation and Dispute Resolution Office to address disputes that arise over implementation matters.

Ambassador Jeffrey Gerrish will serve as the “designated Deputy United States Trade Representative” heading the new Bilateral Evaluation and Dispute Resolution Office in accordance with Article 7.2.2(a) of the Phase One agreement. Interested parties may raise their concerns about implementation matters under the Phase One agreement by calling 202-395-3900.

This arrangement requires regular bilateral meetings to discuss implementation matters, with the parties meeting on a monthly basis at the “designated official” level, on a quarterly basis at the Deputy United States Trade Representative-Vice Minister level, and on a semi-annual basis at the United States Trade Representative-Vice Premier level.

Separately, the arrangement also establishes strong procedures for addressing disputes related to the agreement. A party can formally initiate a dispute by submitting an “Appeal” to the other party’s Bilateral Evaluation and Dispute Resolution Office. Consultations then take place in an attempt to resolve the dispute, first at the “designated official” level and then, if needed, at the Deputy United States Trade Representative-Vice Minister level and finally at the United States Trade Representative-Vice Premier level. If the dispute is not resolved through these consultations, the complaining party is allowed to take proportionate responsive action that it deems appropriate after providing advance notice to the party complained against. The entire dispute resolution process will take approximately 90 days. In addition, it has been expressly agreed that the complaining party in a dispute is not required to include information that could identify any company at issue or confidential business information.

The Phase One agreement entered into effect February 14, 2020. The text of that agreement can be found here.