The Next China is...China

摘要

When the first round of tariffs were levied on a roster of Chinese-made goods last summer, I began asking manufacturers from India and Pakistan if retailers were talking to them about relocating some of their production. The answer: Not really. When the second round of tariffs was announced last September - ironically, on the opening day of New York Home Fashions Market - I asked again. The answer again: Not really. It's worth noting that home textiles weren't impacted by either action. But by the time Heimtextil 2019 took place in January, the Trump administration was threatening to impose tariffs on all goods made in China, which would include home textiles. So I asked yet again, and this time the answer was: They're thinking about it. Of course, it's not so easy to pick up and relocate volume business. While there's a great deal of production capacity available on a global basis, the largest pockets of manufacturing for home textiles are located in China, India and Pakistan - and each country has its particular strengths. Speaking to global supply chain experts for our March 4 cover story, none of them suggested that the major manufacturing centers for home textiles would lose their primacy. But they believe a move is already underway toward geographical diversification.