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A $1 million Chinese order for socks, hats and gloves from Norsewear is being cited as an early spin-off of the free trade agreement signed last week.
Norsewear says the order, within 48 hours of the signing of the pact, came out of the blue and was a result of the higher profile New Zealand was enjoying in China. The company's general manager Sandra Shilling said the company has manufacturing links in China but was not marketing its New Zealand-made garments there at all.
"It's not something we planned on or predicted," she said.
"The Chinese have ordered three times the annual numbers we currently produce. The good news is that means more jobs for New Zealanders as all the products will be manufactured locally. Already our contract manufacturers are looking for new staff to help fill the order."
She said if the Chinese were happy they planned to increase the order.
"Goodness knows how we will cope with that! The export potential is absolutely mind boggling. We are talking in the multimillion-dollar region so it's all systems go for us right now."
Norsewear sold its brand to New Zealand clothing company Apparel Brands last October and has moved part of its garment manufacturing to China.
