June 25, 2004

Press Release

Honolulu mayor impressed with Saipan garment factory's efficiency, focus on workers' safety

Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris, (second from right), and part of the other members of the delegation to the 23rd Pacific Islands Environment Conference

IMPRESSED. Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris, (second from right), and part of the other members of the delegation to the 23rd Pacific Islands Environment Conference listen as Top
Fashion Corp. general manager C.S. Kang, (fourth right, seated) briefs them during a tour of the garment factory, June 22, 2004. Harris, who was among keynote speakers at the conference, said he was "very impressed with the efficiency. I am pleased to see focus on workers' safety, occupational health and safety guidelines are being followed." Top Fashion, which is in Tanapag, Sapan, is an SGMA member.

SGMA—Nearly 40 participants of the 23rd Pacific Islands Environment Conference held at Dai Ichi Hotel from June 23-25, 2004, including the mayor of the city and county of Honolulu, Jeremy Harris, toured Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association's (SGMA's) member factory Top Fashion, Inc. last Tuesday.

The four-hour working session began at Top fashion, Inc. and continued with stops at the CNMI Solid Waste Transfer Station, Saipan's new Sanitary Landfill and a garment solid waste recycling operation in Puerto Rico.

Top Fashion general manager, C.S. Kang, resident manager Felix Hofschneider and SGMA's Richard A. Pierce guided the factory tour visitors through Top Fashion's administrative offices, warehouses, computerized pattern operations, sewing lines, pressing and packaging sections, quality control, washing areas and cutting rooms.

When asked for comment, Harris stated that it was his first time at an apparel manufacturing facility. "I am very impressed with the efficiency. I am pleased to see focus on workers' safety and occupational health and safety guidelines being followed. It's fascinating to see clothing being made," said Harris.

Touring visitors questioned Kang, Hofschneider and Pierce on topics ranging from company practices on solid waste recycling efforts, laundry and cleaning compounds being utilized, employee wages and benefits, department store and retailer outlets and the expected impact of the elimination of world-wide quota restrictions on foreign countries selling to the U.S.A.

Pierce, SGMA’s spokesman stated that if all goes well, the group could return next year and notice the disappearance of Top Fashion's cutting rooms, and a 90% reduction of garment scrap material going into Saipan's landfill.

SGMA and the CNMI Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) received notification at the conference by John McCarroll, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Pacific Islands manager, that the DEQ and SGMA partnership, "Green Garments," had been preliminarily approved by EPA to conduct environmental audits in all SGMA member factories.

SGMA represents 24 of 26 factories on Saipan.