The International Apparel Federation (IAF) is to move its headquarters from London to Amsterdam (Zeist), the Netherlands. The move is part of an overall restructuring programme, which includes a review of the Federation’s Charter and Articles of Association. The IAF is the international association of national associations of apparel and textiles. Founded in 1972 at Williamsburg, USA, by the trade federations of Europe, the USA and Japan, its membership includes apparel associations from 33 countries representing over 150,000 apparel companies and over five million employees.
Under the new rules, which were unanimously approved at the recent members’ meeting in Zeist, the IAF will accept individual companies, whose core business is the manufacturing and/or marketing of apparel or other sewn products, as corporate members with full voting rights.
The members meeting appointed the first Executive Committee which will lead the federation for the next two years. The committee includes president Vassilis Masselos (Hellenic Clothing Association, Greece) and two vice presidents— Roland Tsai, (TTF, Taiwan) and Harry van Dalfsen, (MODINT, Netherlands). Kevin Burke (AAFA, USA) will continue to serve as treasurer.
The IAF also announced a new ‘IAF student award’ that will be presented to a student in fashion design and/or technology with an exceptional academic record and course work. The award will include a six-month traineeship in an IAF member company.
