Children’s Clothes Defended

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31942, 20 March 1969, Page 3

Children’s Clothes Defended

The range, design and variety of children’s clothing produced in New Zealand and available to consumers here compares favourably with that available overseas, says the executive officer of the New Zealand Textile and Garment Manufacturers’ Federation (Mr J. M. Taylor) in reply to a letter to the editor of “The Press.”

The correspondent, Diane Draper, writes:— “I was delighted to read your article about the new Christchurch designer of children’s clothes, Miss Miriam Hindin.

“I find it depressing, whilst shopping for clothes for my small daughter, to be confronted by styles which I wore nearly 30 years ago.

“When she is in town wear-

ing clothes sent by her English grandparents many favourable comments have been made by strangers. “Perhaps we will now be able to buy some clothes for children to compare with those from abroad.” Mr Taylor replies:— “As a manufacturer’s organisation, we maintain very close liaison not only with wholesalers and the retail trade but also with the various consumer’s organisations, such as the Women’s Division, Federated Farmers of New Zealand, the Dominion Federation of Country Women’s Institutes, Townswomen’s Guilds and so on. Suggestions “While we certainly receive from time to time helpful suggestions and odd critical comments from these organisations I assure you that there has been no general complaint or criticism, couched in the same sweeping terms as those used by your correspondent. “Generally, the standard of quality, design, and style of New Zealand clothing com-

pares very favourably with that available to consumers in other countries and this fact has been stated openly by various ministers of the Crown on numerous occasions. “I would add that New Zealand is by no means a closed market to imports of finished clothing from overseas, as over the last several years, there has been approximately $2,500,000 imported annually. “Some of these imports of garments, designed for adults, teenagers and older children, are on a ‘token’ basis for the purpose of providing a continuing incentive and standard of comparison which the local garment manufacturers know they must, and do in fact, keep up-to-date with. “However, since your correspondent has referred in particular to her small daughter, I would also say there is very substantial imports of infants’ and babies' clothing. Overseas Styles, Too

“Thus, if your correspondent continues to maintain that her opinion is correct, then she must accept that she is equally condemning overseas manufacturers, including those located in England, of sending outdated styles to this market.

“There may in fact be some element of truth in this as it is standard practice for clothing manufacturers in the northern hemisphere to ‘job’ end-of-season lines to overseas markets.

“Finally, as you are aware, there is a considerable quantity of children’s clothing produced in New Zealand by the housewives or home dressmakers based on patterns supplied by such famous people as Vogue, McCall, Buttrick, Academy, etc.

“To suggest that these pattern makers are not continually searching and keeping up to date with the world scene in designing their patterns in my opinion is just simply nonsense,” says Mr Taylor.