BRIEFING: The great apparel sourcing issues of 2008 – and how to deal with them

By 2007, the overwhelming majority of apparel buyers and sellers had adjusted themselves to a world in which virtually all clothes sold in affluent countries were assembled in poorer countries. The relocation of manufacture had brought prices down over the previous 15 years and restrictions and taxes on international trade were generally headed for extinction. However, subtle differences between the ways each exporting country is treated has made understanding trade restrictions increasingly difficult. This briefing reviews apparel trade over the last 12 months and looks at how to deal with the major sourcing issues in 2008.