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THE Bureau of Product Standard of the Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI-BPS) is pushing for standardized ring sizes to boost
jewelry exports.
Jesus L. Motoomull, DTI-BPS Director, said the
Philippine National Standard on ring-sizes, which is at par with
international standards, was made available to the local industry as
a reference standard that would aid in further improving the quality
and competitiveness of jewel products abroad.
The government has adopted the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) ring sizes as local standards
to improve sales of home-made rings abroad.
By definition, the ring–size refers to the
inner circumference expressed in millimeters. The standard specifies
that ring-sizes should range from a minimum of 41 millimeters to a
maximum of 76 millimeters, and the material should be metal or any
material with equivalent wear resistance.
Further, the national standard also includes a
reference chart for ring size conversions to guide jewelry companies
in their designs.
The national standard benefited from inputs with
industry associations such as the Meycauayan Jewellery Industry
Association and the Guild of Philippine Jewellers, Inc., the
Meycauayan Jewellery Making Training Center, and other government
agencies such as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Bureau of
Export Trade Promotion, and the Cottage Industry Technology Center.
ISO is a worldwide federation of national
standards bodies from 157 countries and is the largest developer and
publisher of international standards. The DTI-BPS is the ISO member
body of the Philippines.
-- Katrina Mennen A. Valdez
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