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Good luck trying to move apparel and textiles being shipped in from the Philippines. Deborah Belgum at California Apparel News reports that boxes of stuff are being detained at local airports and ports because of suspicions that the Philippines imports are actually Chinese. The Chinese might be trying to avoid quotas on 34 apparel and textile categories that cover swimsuits, socks, shirts and bras. With the holiday season fast approaching, shippers and retailers are going nuts.
The detentions are playing havoc with apparel importers trying to make end-of-September deliveries to retail stores without facing a fine or penalties known as chargebacks. “The Philippines is a debacle right now,” said Los Angeles customs attorney Richard Wortman, who recently was at the New York office of his law firm, Grunfeld, Desiderio, Lebowitz, Silverman & Klestadt, working full time to unravel the mess caused by the severe crackdown.
In the last year, Customs and Border Protection seized more than $100 million in wearing apparel and textile goods.
Mark Lacter created the LA Biz Observed blog in 2006. He posted
until the day before his death on Nov. 13, 2013.