F REIGN TRADE - 中国国际贸易促进委员会

Industrial Watch
TEXTILE
Annual dinner boosts costume rentals
Industrial Watch
With the approach of the Spring Festival, many companies
have been well-prepared for an exciting annual
dinner. Besides the regular summary statement and cheerful
dinner, wonderful performances by the employee constitute
the most eagerly anticipated gala.
To build a joyous and swinging atmosphere, many
people choose to sing or dance. The boom in clothes leasing
shops reminds people of the coming party, as well as an increasing
rent price.
“It is so many performances that maintain the operation
of my shop year after year,” said Ms. Jiang, a shop owner in
Beijing, whose shop has expanded from 42m 2 to 780m 2 during
the past several years.
Ever since the opening of the shop in the morning at
9:00am after the Christmas holiday, clients would come
forth and select favorite costumes now and then, Ms. Jiang
introduced. “The total rentals during the period from Christmas
to the Spring Festival almost account for one third of
that in the whole year,” said Ms. Jiang.
The doubled rentals for the same costume can’t be neglected
as well. Presently, the average price for costumes and
dresses ranges from 100 to 1000 yuan per day in Beijing.
It will be much lower in some second- and third-tier cities.
However, the pursuit of popular elements is similar, among
which Gangnam Style is the most typical one.
Famous for exaggerated and amusing movements, Gangnam
Style also makes the riding outfit popular. In the clothes
leasing shops, similar riding outfits are the most frequently
wanted costume. What comes second is the court dress of
Zhenhuan, a concubine in one hit Chinese TV dramas.
“We don’t need to be much concerned about the price
of rentals because what matters most is the effect of our performances,”
one consumer said.
Annual dinners, to some extent, can
Comment
be regarded as a driver to stimulate
consumptions in hotels and restaurants, leasing
of stage costumes, gift markets, etc. Related
problems may arise at the same time, such as
lower hygienic standards, poorer qualities and
higher costs.
Loopholes found in new Down and Feather Standards
Down clothes are considered the most effective cold-proof
tool in chilly winter. Nevertheless, why the price ranges
from one hundred to thousands of RMB? Are the industrial
standards fully implemented? In the course of answering the
above questions, some people found loopholes in new Down
and Feather Standards GB/T14272-2011.
According to China Feather and Down Industrial Association
(CFDIA), the new standard requires 50% minimum
to 95% maximum clusters (down clusters, nestling
down and plumules) for products labeled “DOWN”. However,
the minimum filling weight is not determined.
Besides the percentage of down and fill power, filling
weight is also of great importance in judging whether down
clothes are warm enough. For instance, according to the
international laws, the filling weight of a short down jacket
should be no less than 130g, which is not known by most
consumers, said by an analyst.
What’s more, CFDIA also pointed out that in the new
Standards, barbs from damaged and broken down caused in
mechanical production are also calculated in the down percentage,
which is not in accordance with international laws.
Such barbs will not do any harm to people’s health. But some
companies may take advantage of such loophole and adopt
cheaper man-made barbs or even chicken feathers and fibers
to deceive consumers, and such inferior filling materials have
worse cold-proof ability and may lead to some diseases like
skin allergies.
To maintain high quality, or to reduce
Comment
costs as well as conform to the standards
with loopholes, that is a question. It has
been not only a commercial issue, but a moral
one at present. To keep pace with the advanced
and mature international standards as soon as
possible is of great importance and urgency for
Chinese companies.
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