The American apparel manufacturing and retailing industries are highly dependent on China, and so are represented at this week’s hearings into proposed section 301 duties on products were up to $46 billion. Fashion and footwear are not directly included in the initial list of products, but the machinery used to make apparel in the U.S. – including looms, sewing machines and textile printers – are on the list of targets. U.S. imports of apparel-manufacturing machinery were worth $1.3 billion in the 12 months to March 31. Buyers are clearly worried about duties with imports from China (...