The USA clothing industry is going through a period of profound change. The elimination of
quotas has led to intense competition from manufacturers in low cost countries. As a result,
retail buyers are placing strict demands on apparel manufacturers in terms of product
quality, and delivery times. To make things more challenging, clothing firms face rising costs
of raw materials, high-energy and food prices and faltering economy. In order to adapt to this
situation and remain competitive, US clothing firms have been forced to make some big
changes in their sourcing strategies. Many firms have decided to foster close strategic
relationships and partnerships with suppliers in order to maximize costs-quality, and optimize
lead times. Jordan should adopt this change as an opportunity to gain more customers with
higher value products, due to their advantageous duty-free preference, their good overall
quality and delivery reputation.