ontinue to take advantage of export opportunities in countries such as Japan, Canada, and Mexico, where trade barriers have been reduced.TRADE MAGAZINES AND NETWORKSThese trade journals and sites usually include industry news, trade show/event calendar, recent articles, and searchable archive of articles, buyers guide/directory, and job listings.MAGIC International, a subsidiary of Advanstar Communications, Inc., is the world's largest and most widely recognized producer of trade shows for the apparel industry. The major designers and producers of America often attend these trade events. There is also a trade magazine called the Apparel Industry Magazine, which can also be accessed on the Internet. The magazine presents updated information about technology, fashion, and business, on the apparel Industry, and their webpage also features a Virtual Apparel Trade show. The American Apparel Producer's Network (AAPN) also produces trade shows. LABOR UNIONSThere are many labor unions associated with the apparel retail industry, such as the Fair Labor Association, the American Apparel Manufacturers Association, UNITE, an apparel's workers' union that represents apparel sewing employees with labor issues, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the National Labor Committee(NLC), which is a coalition made up primarily of labor unions, and the National Retail Federation. These labor unions and government unions regulate fair labor practices in the apparel retail industry. INDUSTRY TRENDSResponding to fashion trends and consumer needs- The challenge for many apparel retailers is anticipating the coming trends and deciding how they will or won't fit into the company's image. In some cases, a trend might not be right for a specific retailer, and that's where it has to work to stay as trend-right as possible without losing focus. Companies in this industry need to learn what their customers want, and be able to give them what they want, and that is...
