纽约市为时尚产业提供激励（在线收听）

纽约市为时尚产业提供激励

NEW YORK— Many of the world's most revered designers create their fashions in New York City. But often those designs are manufactured overseas to save money.

Now, New York is providing economic incentives to encourage more manufacturing in the city and entice emerging designers to take root there.

In New York City, the fashion industry accounts for more than five percent of the workforce and generates nearly $18 billion a year in retail sales.

在纽约市，时尚行业雇佣了零售业5%以上的劳动力，每年创造近180亿美元的价值。

Despite economic ups and downs, wholesalers, manufacturers and designers have been doing business here in New York's Garment district since the 1880's. Mayor Bill de Blasio says the industry is integral to the city.

尽管经济有起伏，自19世纪80年代以来，批发商、制造商和设计师一直在纽约的服装区经营。市长白思豪称该行业是该市的一部分。

“Not only a functionally key sector of our economy but one of the most iconic industries in this city. Something so deeply identified with the character and personality of New York City and we want to make sure it stays that way and, in fact, becomes stronger,” he said.

“时尚行业不仅是构成我们经济功能的关键部分，还是本市最具标志性的行业。已经成为纽约市特点、特色的一部分，我们希望确保这个行业保持继续发展，并变得更强大。”

This year, the City will allocate $15 million to encourage emerging designers and manufacturers to create fashions locally through a program called Made in New York.

今年，纽约市将拨款1500万美元，用于鼓励新兴设计师和制造商通过名叫“纽约制造”的项目在当地发展时尚业。

Eligible companies like Leota, must sell at least 1,000 products annually and design, cut, sew, assemble and finish their fashions in the city. Founder Sarah Carson is looking forward to additional Made in New York production incentives.

Leota等合格的公司必须每年至少售出1000件产品，并在本市完成时尚作品的设计、剪裁、缝纫、组装和成品。成立者萨拉·卡尔森希望需要更多“纽约制造”的生产激励因素。

“Getting that financing as a small business, as a growing business, is really key to expanding my business here to creating more jobs right here in New York and fueling the growth of the garment industry and fashion industry in New York,” she said.

“作为小企业，作为正在发展的企业，获得资金支持是扩大企业、为纽约创造更多就业机会的关键，还能助推服装行业和纽约时尚产业的发展。”

Leota was launched in New York four years ago and has steadily grown. But manufacturing in New York has limitations -- sky-high rents, an aging workforce and outdated technology.

Leota公司4年前在纽约诞生，如今已经平稳发展。但纽约的制造业有局限，租金高昂，劳动力老龄化，且技术陈旧。

“We lack some of the technology that we need to do some of the knitting techniques and laser cutting and popular styles that people are buying right now," Carson said. "We can’t make them here.”

“我们缺少一些技术，需要一些人们现在需要的编织技术、激光切割和流行款式，现在做不到这点。”

The Made in New York program provides incentives to factories that invest in technology and workforce development. So far, the city has granted more than a million dollars to eligible factories.

“纽约制造”项目给那些投资科技和劳动力发展的工厂以激励，到目前为止，该市已经为合格工厂拨款100多万美元。

Kenny Hung owns the local factory where Leota designs are manufactured. It's a family business he runs with his wife, Carmen. He says there is not enough consistent fashion manufacturing work to keep his seamstresses busy year round.

Kenny Hung拥有当地一家工厂，Leota设计的产品就是在这里生产的。这是一家家庭企业，他和妻子卡门负责运营工作。他说没有连续不断的时尚业制造工作来让自己的裁缝们整年忙个不停。

To help fix that, the city created an electronic platform connecting local designers with local production facilities. Hopefully, that means more business for factories and skilled workers.

为帮助解决这个问题，该市提供了一个连接当地设计师和当地生产企业的电子平台，希望能给工厂和熟练工人带来更多生意。

Plus, if Hung invests in technology upgrades, he could qualify for cash incentives that would position his factory as an even more attractive option for New York-based designers.

而且，如果Hung投资于技术升级，他可以有资格获得现金奖励，这将让他的工厂对纽约设计师来说更具吸引力。