UK Fashion Exports (UKFE) is pleased to announce that

							UKFE Wins Back Show Support Scheme

UK Fashion Exports (UKFE) has negotiated a programme of financial support from the Government
to help British businesses exhibit at key international trade fairs over the coming year.

The new Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP), agreed with UK Trade & Industry, will be launched in
April 2008 and will provide grants of £1400 for shows in 2008 and £1000 for shows in 2009 up to
March 31st. This support will be available to Small & Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) based in the UK
that export less than 25% of their turnover.

Eligible companies will be entitled to claim a maximum of three grants, including TAP support
received since April 2006. The number of grants available per exhibition will also be capped so
exporters are encouraged to contact UKFE early.

The fashion, accessories, footwear and textile industries have been allocated a budget in excess of
10% of the total national support budget thanks to extensive lobbying by UKFE and related bodies.

Paul Alger, Executive Director of UK Fashion Exports says: “UK Fashion Exports has lobbied hard for
the reintroduction of the TAP grant scheme and we are pleased that the Minister has recognised
our sector with a substantial budget. We shall continue to make the case for an urgent review of
the “three times rule” which impacts unfairly on our industry. In the meantime, we shall be doing
everything we can to make sure that companies in this sector make the best use of this important
and worthwhile scheme.”

Click Here for guidelines on the scheme.

A full list of overseas trade shows this season for which grant support is available for eligible
companies, together with your contact at UK Fashion Exports and the relevant websites is available
here.

Card Processing Deal Agreed With Streamline

UKFE/UKFT (FORMERLY BCIA) has negotiated, for its members, exclusive discounted rates on credit
& debit card processing rates with Streamline.

As one of the UK’s leading card service provider, Streamline (part of the Royal Bank of Scotland
Group) processes nearly half of all card transactions, so you can be confident of a reliable, first
class service, which accommodates both you and your customer’s requirements for card
acceptance and payments.

Whether you are new to card acceptance or even if you are already accepting credit and debit
card payments, as a member of UKFE/UKFT (FORMERLY BCIA) you can benefit from Streamline’s
discounted face-to-face transaction rates, which are based on a sliding scale of charges on credit
card turnover and average sales and range from 1.45% to 2.20% per transaction for credit cards
and 18p to 30p per transaction for debit cards.

As part of the deal Streamline is also waiving the initial set up fee, a saving of £150, and it is offering
discounts on fixed and portable terminals.

For full details click here
UKFE Attracts New Members

A number of young companies, keen to build their overseas business, have joined UK Fashion
Exports over the past month. They are:

Cross + Spot (menswear designer label), Bown Designs (luxury leather goods and accessories for
both men and women), Made by Niki (lingerie, swimwear and luxury shapewear), Underground
(British urban lifestyle brand), Eco-boudoir (eco-luxury lingerie, loungewear and accessories), Rita
Hraiz (100% pure cashmere clothing) and Rockmay by Hooman Pahlevan (designer womenswear).
Also, Nottingham Trent University has become an associate member.

UKFT (FORMERLY BCIA) Staff Take Part in Social Dialogue Project

UKFT (FORMERLY BCIA) Director, John Wilson, and Assistant Director, Elizabeth Fox, on behalf of the
British Apparel & Textile Confederation (BATC) participated in a European Social Dialogue Project
in mid-March, when employers and employee representatives from the Czech Republic, Hungary,
Lithuania and Turkey visited London.

The Project, which covered clothing, textiles, footwear and leather, was aimed at identifying best
practice in both bipartite and tripartite social dialogue in the UK, Belgium and Italy. It also included
a visit to the EU Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee.

Whilst the concept of social dialogue (which ranges from collective bargaining to joint lobbying on
International Trade issues) is comparatively well developed in some of the new members of the EU,
in others it is still in its infancy. With fewer than twenty years having elapsed since the overthrow of
Communism it is perhaps not surprising that there is a mutual “distrust” between employers and
employees in some countries. The EU Commission is keen to establish the virtues of Social Dialogue,
both bipartite and tripartite, and the trip to London allowed the British Apparel & Textile
Confederation and the British Leather Confederation to describe the collective bargaining
procedure in their industries, as well as the joint work in Health and Safety and International Trade.
A summary of the work of the Textile & Clothing Strategy Group was also given.

The co-ordinator of the Project for the trade union side was Paul Gates, formerly of the Community
trade union, and he too stressed the value of the relationship that exists in the UK between the
three trade unions and the employer organisations in the clothing, textile, footwear and leather
industries.

A further trip to the UK to cover the other new members of the EU is planned for May.

New National Minimum Wage Rates Introduced

The Government has announced the new rates for the National Minimum Wage, effective from
October 2008. The adult rate will be increased to £5.73 an hour (currently £5.52). The youth rate for
those aged 18 to 21 years old will be increased to £4.77 an hour (£4.60) and workers aged 16 to 17
years will see their minimum hourly wage increase to £3.53 (£3.40). UKFT (FORMERLY BCIA), through
the British Apparel and Textile Confederation, was consulted on what the rates should be by the
Low Pay Commission and its representation features in the full Low Pay Commission Report.
National Agreement for the Knitting Industry Up-dated

The National Agreement between the Knitting Industry Federation and the Community Trade Union
has now been ratified. It gives workers a 2.7 % increase effective from 7 th April 2008.


Exporting to Saudi Arabia

The Minister of Commerce and Industry for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced, through
Decree no 6386, that all imports of consumer goods, including textiles and accessories, must now
comply with mandatory safety and related standards. Failure to do so could result in goods being
refused customs clearance in Saudi Arabia and consignments being returned to the shipper. This
programme of measures, known as the International Conformity Certification programme (ICCP),
means that a certificate of conformity issued by an approved body at the country of export, MUST
accompany all consignments of consumer goods destined for Saudi Arabia.

Find Out How to Make Your Mark in Russia

Russia loves British fashion and style. In the past 10 years the shopping habits of the country have
been transformed and exports from the UK have gone up by 450%.

British fashion and accessories business are clamouring to be part of this success story and UKFE is
working hard to help them achieve some success. As part of the process, it is organising a seminar
called, quite simply, Selling to Russia, which will run at 5 Portland Place on the morning of Tuesday
May 13th.

Confirmed speakers include Matthew Anderson of designer brand Jenny Packham and Charles
Hecker of consultancy Controlled Risk Group. Paul Alger, the director of UKFE who has been
running successful company visits to Russia for a number of years, will run the event.

The seminar will cover a number of aspects of the selling process from giving an overview of the
Russian market to understanding what buyers are looking for. And it will also highlight some of the
recent success stories and reveal some of their secrets.

For a booking form visit : www.5portlandplace.org.uk

Celebrate, Network and Enjoy

The UK Fashion Export Awards are to be held at the Landmark London on Thursday 5th June. Tickets
for the reception and lunch are now available.

The event offers members the opportunity to meet fellow exporters and to share experiences; it is a
chance to celebrate the success of your peers and to enjoy the entertainment.

Host for the afternoon will be Fred MacAulay, the Scottish comedian and frequent guest on many
a Radio 4 panel show. He will bring his own brand of wit and humour to the proceedings.
Presenting the Awards will be HRH The Princess Royal, President of UK Fashion Exports.

The Awards always attract a very diverse crowd. As well as the winners and other finalists, guests
include a number of UKFE members, exhibition organisers, the press and leading retailers.

Click Here For Your Ticket Application Form
lers.

Click Here For Your Ticket Application Form