Only a few weeks away, the 21st annual Apparel Sourcing Show (APSS) in Guatemala is one stop for insider knowledge on the textile and apparel industry. With a focus on the special benefits in CAFTA-dR, APSS promises a wealth of information on how to use CAFTA-dR as an ideal platform for sourcing opportunities.

On Tuesday, the show will start with an overview of the CAFTA region's offerings, including a panel on the product capabilities in CAFTA-dR with experts from El Salvador and Guatemala, moderated by Walter Wilhelm, CEO of WWA. In addition, Cotton Incorporated will present the latest information on the cotton market for 2012 and beyond.

At the heart of the show, the CAFTA-dR Forum includes industry representatives from the public and private sector across the region to discuss the following topics:

• CAFTA-dR Opportunities—Want to know how government is supporting your business? U.S. Department of Commerce Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles and Apparel Kim Glas will talk about the evolving CAFTA-dR public-private trade relationship. She will be joined by Maria Luisa Flores, Vice Minister of Trade and Commercial Integration, and Claudia Del Aguila, Vice Minister of Investment and Competitiveness, from the Guatemalan government.
  
• Supply Chain—Learn how U.S. retailers are implementing sustainable supply chain strategies with CAFTA-dR. Ken Mangone, Executive Vice President of Product Development, Design, and Sourcing for JC Penney, will provide his insight on how retailers utilize CAFTA and support a balanced sourcing strategy in the Western Hemisphere. CAFTA is the place to build a sustainable future for apparel sourcing!
  
• Hear Gail Strickler, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles, talk about the role CAFTA plays in retailers supply chains. She will be joined by the representatives from major retailers including Target, Liztex, PVH, and Li & Fung. This session will be led by Carlos Arias, President of Denimatrix.
  
• U.S. Trade Policy—How will the New FTAs and Trade Negotiations Impact CAFTA? Hear what you need to know about the latest developments in trade policy from legal and policy experts. Jon Fee, Partner at Alston & Bird, and Julia K. Hughes, President of the United States Association of Importers of Textiles & Apparel (USA-iTA) will talk about the global challenges and opportunities for the industry.

The show will conclude on Thursday with a day focused on product safety and compliance issues. Jon Fee and BJ Shannon from Alston & Bird as well as representatives from Fruit of the Loom and Crowley Liner will be on hand to talk about U.S. testing and certification requirements.

The 2012 Apparel Sourcing Show, "CAFTA-dR: Thriving on Global Changes" is scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, May 22-24, 2012 in Guatemala City. Additional information is available at the Apparel Sourcing Show website: http://www.apparelexpo.com.

Endorsed by the United States Association of Importers of Textiles & Apparel (USA-iTA)