ASEAN suppliers are exploring new ways to enhance competitiveness in multiple areas of manufacture, trade and product development.
The ATA Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel reports that the region covered by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, is one of the manufacturing bases of the textile manufacturing, and major suppliers include Indonesia and Thailand. Vietnam and Cambodia have also risen to serve the global demand on clothing in recent years. For instance, Vietnam is among the major apparel suppliers to the US market in addition with China and other countries. Top five apparel exporters to the US market were China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Honduras and Indonesia in 2008, according to the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA).