Used clothing ban

[NewsWhore]

Apparel companies and textile manufacturers are welcoming a decision by the Customs Department (DGA) to ban imports of used clothing. Law 458 dating back to 1973 bans imports for health reasons, but so far the authorities in charge of enforcing the law have not done so. The president of the Association of Small and Medium-sized Textile Companies (Apymetex), Eduardo Martinez told Listin Diario of his support for the decision. The ban also has the support of the Dominican Association of Textile Industries (Aditex). The organizations say that unfair competition from informal used clothing traders has affected the survival of 1,600 small companies, mainly tailor shops and seamstresses, as well as large import companies. Used clothing is sold in flea markets with high yields, by vendors who don't have to pay electricity costs or taxes. Martinez says that thousands of jobs have been lost in the textile industries. The used clothing comes mainly from Haiti and is sold in Dajabon, Elias Pina, Santiago and Santo Domingo.
"The import of 'pacas' of used clothing is banned and has always been banned by Dominican law and this was reinforced by DR-CAFTA," says DGA Technical Director Eduardo Rodriguez. He said that DM Grupo International, a free zone located in Pedernales, imports used sheets and tablecloths to resell on the local market. The DGA and the National Council of Free Zone Exporters (CNZFE) notified the company of the decision to implement the ban on Monday, 30 March.

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