the quota system that restricted textile and apparel imports into the United States and other nations ended for all member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Not surprisingly, there has been widespread speculation about the long-term impact of this monumental liberalization of international trade. A brief survey of both the relevant academic literature and the popular press reveals a prevailing notion among scholars, industry groups, government agents, and industry analysts: exports from low-wage countries in general, and China in particular, will grow rapidly, virtually wiping out the textile and apparel sectors of the United States and many other established suppliers (