Never Mind the Price, Feel the Quality

The question of what follows the removal of export quotas will undoubtably have a huge impact on Cambodia's manufacturing workforce.

Garment producers like Cambodia, which ships most of its output to the US, [are] facing potential ruin, as the industry employs 65 percent of its manufacturing workforce.

The unknown factor at this stage is whether U.S. buyers care enough to pay a little more for Cambodian products over the cheaper alternatives created under dubious conditions.

Cambodia may have a trick up its sleeve. In an industry often accused of exploiting sweatshop labor, Cambodia says it offers the opposite: unionized workers paid fairly in safe conditions. Regular inspections by a third-party watchdog keep managers on their toes and give companies with a conscience an incentive to buy Cambodian.

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