North Hamgyong pushes design contest on factories that already make clothes to order
North Hamgyong province has launched a consumer goods design competition for light industry factories across the region, but the mandate is drawing complaints from factories that produce clothing exclusively on order for Chinese buyers, who say the requirement makes little practical sense. The North Hamgyong Provincial People’s Committee ordered light industry production units on Sept. […]
North Hamgyong province has launched a design competition for light industry factories that produce clothing, but factories producing clothes exclusively for Chinese buyers are complaining that the requirement doesn't make sense. The North Hamgyong Provincial People’s Committee ordered factories to submit new designs for a "mass design creation collection competition" by Sept. 17, according to a source in the province.
All factories, not just engineers and skilled technicians, must submit designs. General laborers must also participate, leaving them scrambling to come up with ideas before the deadline. Workers say the mandate ignores how factories operate and makes the competition meaningless. Clothing factories in Chongjin are focused on producing garments ordered by Chinese trading partners, with Chinese buyers specifying the design and measurements themselves.
It is difficult for these factories to apply their own designs to actual production. Some factories are also struggling with shortages of raw materials and parts, meaning even a strong design wouldn't realistically become an actual product.
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