Quality seminar planned by China leather association
Since it was introduced in 1994, the Genuine Leather Mark (GLM) has won widespread consumer acceptance in northern China as a symbol of quality assurance. Indeed, some idea of the success of the mark is provided by the fact that many major department stores in Beijing and Shanghai will now only stock footwear that carries the symbol.
In order to encourage greater uptake of the GLM among quality-orientated manufacturers, the China Leather Industry Assocation (CLIA) has announced that it is planning a ‘GLM seminar’ in Wenzhou, at which the benefits of the symbol for the producer will be fully expounded. During the day long event, delegates will also be encouraged to share their views on how awareness of the mark can be increased, and how validation procedures can be further improved.
Though GLM is widely accepted by leather shoes and garment manufacturers in north China, it is far less well known in the south. CLIA says it sees the seminar as a vital first step towards changing this situation. It also hopes the event will help raise the profile of the symbol abroad, where interest in Chinese leather goods is increasing because of the country’s pending accession to the World Trade Asssociation (WTO).
