Garment exports to US hit $1.7 B

Gap, the biggest US buyer of Philippine garments, imported $206.227-million worth of products from the Philippines for the first nine months of the year, accounting for 12.14 percent of total exports to the US.

Garments and Textile Export Board (GTEB) data shows that the country supplied $1.7-billion worth of garments and textile products to the US from January to September this year.

GTEB said Gap imported $197.15-million worth of products for its main brand as well as $0.076-million worth of garments for the Banana Republic line of products.

Gap was followed by five other major buyers led by WalMart Stores which accounted for 2.53 percent of total Philippine garments export to the US; Ann Taylor (2.45 percent); Liz Clairborne (2.23 percent); Kasper (2.14 percent) and J.C. Penny (2.09 percent).

Ann Taylor, Polo Ralph Lauren and Warnaco have been increasing their importation, surpassing their 1999 purchases at the end of the first three quarters of 2000.

New in the top 30 list of US buyers that account for over half of Philippine garment exports to the US, according to GTEB, were Jansport, Samsonite, Nike, Disney, Sears, Khol Department Stores, Nautica and J. Crew.

GTEB said the Philippines ranked No. 10 in terms of value in a report by the International Business and Economic Corp. for January to July this year.

IBERC is a US-based consultancy firm that supplies commercial intelligence report on quota management. Garments exporters are routinely audited by foreign buyers for compliance with social and environmental standards in their operations.

In the advent of trade liberalization, countries like the US have been relying increasing on so-called ethical sourcing as a non-trade barrier, to ensure that imports are sourced from countries that comply with strict environment and social standards.

Garment manufacturers are inspected for compliance with anti-pollution and safety measures as well as laws against sweatshops and against the use of child labor.

Due to increasing pressures from consumers, US brand manufacturers are sensitive to social and environmental standards.

Garments exports rose by 9.34 percent to $2.45 billion in September 2000 from $2.242 billion in the same period last year.