Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Page 4 New Labels Will Make American o p% % Made Apparel //v u s > Easier to Find Christmas shoppers are finding it easier this year to buy textiles and clothing with labels saying “Crafted with Pride in U.S.A.” or “Made in U.S.A.” This was the result of a new law which requires the labeling of textile and apparel products and an active promotional program the textile industry has been conducting for three years in response to strong consumer preference for American-made textile pro ducts. The increasing interest in American-made goods is welcome news to the two million Americans who earn their living in the fiber, textile and apparel industry and its hundreds of thousands of suppliers who have made a commitment to excellence in manufac turing. A broad coalition comprised of all seg ments of the texti le/apparel complex created “Crafted with Pride in U.S.A.” to increase public awareness of the quality and value of American textile products and the contribu tion the industry makes to the nation's eco nomy. It is beamed at consumers who have shown a preference for American textiles but at times have had difficulty finding them in retail stores. A recent survey conducted by Elrick and Lavidge, Inc. of Atlanta asked consumers to rank clothing from various countries for fashion, fit, ease of care and quality of work manship. In each case, American-made clo thing was ranked higher than that from Europe and Asia. The Gallup organization asked consumers to rate a number of products in terms of which ones they believe are “better.” Fully 70 percent of those questioned said Amer ican-made clothing is “better.” This belief that American textiles are “better” stems from a commitment by the American industry to stay ahead of foreign competition. It was the American industry which de veloped all of the modern improvements in fiber, textiles and clothing: wash and wear, permanent press, soil release, flame retar dants, stretch fabrics and products which guard against heat and cold. This is in addi tion to a vast array of styles and fashion. The American industry is locked in a bat tle with foreign producers who pay wages and have working conditions which would be illegal in this country. Many countries also subsidize their exports of clothing and tex tiles in order to capture the American mar ket. The result is a textile and apparel trade deficit in excess of $16 billion. The American industry is fighting this competition with every available weapon— from legislation to law suits—and needs help from the government to overcome this unfair competition. In addition, through major investments in modern, productive equipment, and such programs as “Crafted with Pride,” the in dustry is strengthening its competitive posi tion. As a result of this commitment to excell ence and a strong determination to win, the American textile industry will work its way out of its current problems and continue to provide the products and the jobs which have given our country the-highest standard of living in the world. And that is the finest Christmas present of all. Merchants in Laurens County who are Cer tified Gold Seal Merchants and who stock 75 percent or more American made apparel, household, kitchen and related textile pro ducts include: Adair's Men’s Shop, Devore's House of Quality, Belk of Clinton, Cato’s of Clinton, Belk of Laurens, Gables, Bargain Fair, Cato's of Laurens and the John Graham Store. Ways to Cut Down Smoking Many people find that cutting down on cigarettes day by day makes it possible to stop. Here's a list of ways that worked for some. 1. Decide to smoke only once an hour. Or decide to stop smoking for an entire hour and then start lengthening that time by half hours. 2. Make it hard to get and smoke a cigarette. Wrap up the package and put elastic bands around it. Smoke with your left hand if you usually smoke with your right. 3. Change to a brand you don’t like. Buy only one pack at a time. 4. If you always have a smoke with your coffee, switch to tea, juice or soda. 5. Do something for your body. Get back in shape. Exercise is great for relaxation. 6. Call up your friends and tell them you're going to quit. 7. If you quit for one day, you can quit for another. Try it. 8. Save all the money you would have spent on cigarettes and buy yourself something. You deserve it. 9. If you break down and have a cigarette, don’t worry. Some people take several tries before they make it. It’s worth quitting no matter how many years you’ve smoked. So don’t give up. (American Cancer Society) Marie Madden recalling her long associa tion with Clinton Mills... Bobbie South tell ing her fellow employees how proud she was Crocker Recognized Claude A. Crocker, Clinton Mills vice pres ident of human resources, was recently awarded a special minted silver medallion at the 9th S.C. Educational Conference of Workers’ Compensation in Columbia. The award presentation recognizing his years of service as a member of the Gov ernor’s Advisory Committee for Improve ment of the Workers' Compensation Law was made at a luncheon commemorating the 50th anniversary of the S.C. Workers' Com pensation Law. of her 25 years service award ... and J.C. Lawson recalling his past 40 years with the company. It's Important for Employees to Eat Properly Each Clinton Mills employee recently re ceived a mountain apple as part of the com pany’s accident prevention and wellness program. The apples were distributed by members of supervision as they conveyed to each em ployee a message about health and safety. There is an old saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” This saying con tains a lot of merit because of the apple’s high mineral and vitamin content. Known as the all-American fruit, the apple is a national symbol for good health and nutrition. The distribution was part of the com pany's continuing interest in employees maintaining good dieting practices and re ceiving proper nutrition to help prevent ill ness. In addition to the fruit, eligible employees have received a pair of American made work gloves as a promotional item to “keep a firm grip on safety.” Both items received high employee acceptance. Clinton City Manager Russell Allen was the winner of the eighth annual Great American Textile 10,000 Roadrace sponsored by the South Carolina Textile Manufacturer’s Association in cooperation with the Clinton YMCA. Making the presentation on behalf of the textile industry are, left to right, YMCA Executive Director Gene Simmons, SCTMA Administrative Assistant Deborah McElveen and Allen. Each of the more than 200 runners received an imprinted T-shirt.