Adopt USA Certifications To Boost Indian Apparel Exports
Compliance and certifications of the US and other international standards are essential for growth of Indian garment exports to the US, was the advice of a senior official of an American trade body.
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) recently organised a workshop on US compliance standards for apparel exporters in Tirupur.
“For the past several months, we have noticed a change in customer behaviour and there is less consumption, leading to lower US imports of apparel and footwear,” AAFA Sr. VP Nate Herman said.
“But this does not indicate a recession in the US market. Consumers have started spending more on travel, leisure, restaurants, etc., he added.
“China still accounts for a major share of clothing imports, with India a distant fourth. The US government has advised to seek alternative sourcing destinations and India can be a good alternative,” Herman stated.
“However, compliance and certifications of the US and international standards are pre-requisites essential for growth in Indian garment exports to the US,” he noted
“The US government has been uncomfortable with China for several reasons for many years and has constantly asked US companies to seek alternative markets,” WRAP CEO Avedis Seferian also said.
“Companies found Vietnam as a good choice, but capacity and infrastructure are not good enough to cater to needs of the US market,” Seferian too added.
“US brands and retailers have realised that India can be a perfect choice, with the size and magnitude to execute big orders, as Indian knitters already have a vertically integrated setup,” he too stated.
