Interesting point, I suupose US business are smart enough to realize that dual-producing is a non-profit long-term event!
I am eager to see the ISO standard btw, my foot is 30,5 cm long, -> 1 ft :-D ----- Original Message ----- From: "kilopascal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2002 11:15 PM Subject: [USMA:22406] Re: Metric clothing labels in the US? > 2002-10-01 > > Markus, > > That was a very interesting response. It seems like Mr. Mellian is a > supporter, but is fighting against the silent majority. Let me entertain > you with a few thoughts and see how plausible they sound to you. > > Mr. Mellian feels that the ASTM can never force these standards on the > industry that the industry must adopt them voluntarily. I am assuming he is > referring strictly to the industry that is in the US alone. Suppose now, > that ISO adopts the new clothing standards, and they do become "law" > everywhere but the US. Now, to me that means that if the US industry wants > to sell its products overseas, or outside the US, it will have to adopt > those standards for the products it intends to export. Meaning higher costs > to the US industry as it will have to label its way for the US market and > the ISO way for everybody else. What will they gain by being different. > > Since standards are said to be voluntary that means they can be used by > individual companies, even if the "industry" decides not to. In other > words, clothing imported from non-US sources would still be allowed to use > the ISO designation when selling in the US. Since they will have to use it > every other market, why would they add cost to their product to label it the > non-ISO way, since the ISO way will be acceptable in the US as its use is > voluntary. > > The only reason I can see for the US makers wanting to stick to their tired > old methods is there is an element of confusion in it. It is the confusion > that business likes, as it generates more sales. Or it is perceived that it > does. > > Is it possible that the so-called voluntary approach can back-fire on the > American manufacturers if the foreign ones switch to the new system, even in > the US market? It will be interesting if you do decide to write back to Mr. > Mellian, to see what he thinks will happen to the US apparel manufacturers > if the ISO becomes standard and required everywhere else, and they are the > sole users of old standards? > > John > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Markus Kuhn" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Tuesday, 2002-10-01 15:16 > Subject: [USMA:22404] Re: Metric clothing labels in the US? > > > > Markus Kuhn wrote in [USMA:22337] on 2002-09-25 18:36 UTC: > > > I just sent the following to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and some > > > people on http://apparelandfootwear.org/4col.cfm?pageID=174 : > > > > > > Dear Mr. Mellian, > > > > > > I read with great interest on > > > > > > http://www.ansi.org/public/news/2002july/what_my_size.html > > > > > > a progress report about the -- in my eyes *very* needed and desireable > > > -- standardization of clothing labels based on real body measurements. > > > [...] > > > > I just got the attached reply. > > > > Markus > > > > -- > > Markus G. Kuhn, Computer Laboratory, University of Cambridge, UK > > Email: mkuhn at acm.org, WWW: <http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/> > > > > > > Dear Mr. Kuhn, > > > > I read your questions and recommendations with a great smile on my face. > > The reason for the "Smile" was not because what you suggested was funny, > > because this has been my life long war, argument, and friendly or > > unfriendly discussions with the apparel industry. However, here it is, my > > private, unofficial responds to your question: > > > > ASTM standards provide body measurements tables in both units. > > However, ASTM can not force for industry. these are voluntary standards. > > > > I wish I had a better answer this question. No I do not believe that > > there is a chance that the apparel industry will use metric units in > > labels, not only that I am even not sure that we will be able to convince > > the apparel industry to use body measurements on labels. I might sound > > very pessimistic, this is because I have been U.S. delegate to ISO > > Technical Committee 133, and worked in development of Size Designation, > > Pictogram and Labelogram to be used for clothing. Have been trying to > > explain, how important these communication devices are for consumers for > > years and so far there is not much for me to be happy about. However, I am > > proud of my success in convincing the U.S. Navy to include body > > measurements on labels of uniforms. I hope that these women will be > > educated and demand the same information buying their civilian clothes. > > > > The European Union will be all set to use metric units by 2009. I > > have no idea how many more decades will take for U.S. to adopt the > > metrication. I am afraid industry will not make any changes, until U.S. > > government decides to adopt metric units to replace the current one. This > > is as difficult as changing driving rules in England. > > > > Thank you for your interest in a subject that I am very passionate about. > > Cheers. Sirvart > > >
