The model 2773 women's blouse from C.R. of India is made from viscose chiffon. Price is $6.

Soft and dainty models come in cotton voile and silk georgette, and feature floral prints and lace trimmings.

Suppliers of women's blouses in India and China are keeping abreast of the season's trends.

They are closely monitoring styles that appear in textile or garment exhibitions held locally and overseas, and fashion shows in the US and Europe.

In addition, suppliers get feedback from customers and foreign designers. Companies also refer to the Internet and magazines to get inspiration for upcoming models.

Aside from this, makers are cooperating with design studios abroad in developing new collections.

For spring and summer, women's blouses are soft and dainty. These are made of cotton voile and cambric, and chiffon and georgette in silk, rayon or polyester. Linen and blended fabric such as satin-Lycra is also used. All these materials are lightweight, cool and airy, and they drape well.

Designs feature feminine details such as puffed and bell sleeves, ruffles, embroidered decorations, lace trims and beadwork. Some makers even use Swarovski crystals, molded buttons and faux pearls for embellishing blouses.

Suppliers are following the season's palette, offering blouses in metallic colors and different shades of white. Pastels, including baby pink, aqua and light green, are favorite hues as well.

In addition, animal, geometric, floral and 1970s-inspired motifs are popular prints.

Moreover, makers are releasing styles with interesting borders. The hem, for example, may be scalloped or adorned with laser-cut eyelets.

	India's ABC offers this black cotton voile blouse. It has puffed sleeves trimmed with ribbon and mesh fabric.

India supplier Fancy Enterprises produces the 300/6867B women's blouse made of cotton voile in aqua. It has cap sleeves and a pleated front. It is priced at $3.50.

Fancy also offers the 300/7578 model, a wrap blouse made of polyester georgette and features floral prints. The neckline, hem and sleeves are trimmed with ruffles. The price is $5.

The ABC 01 model is a button-down women's blouse from ABC Fashion, another supplier from India. It comes in black cotton voile and has a round neckline that is gathered by a ribbon. The puffed sleeves are trimmed with ribbon and mesh ruffles on the edges.

The model's hem follows the shape of the embroidered flower motifs. It is $4.60.

The B424 model, also from ABC, is made of 60s cambric. It has cap sleeves and a tucked front. A crochet trim runs length- and crosswise on the garment. The price is $4.35.

The SH-042 model from China maker Hangzhou Topstar Lace Co. Ltd is made 100 percent cotton. It has a ruffled eyelet collar, cap sleeves and hem.

C.C. Fashion Ltd, also of China, produces the 2977 blouse. It comes in silk crinkle georgette and has sequined motifs.

China's Suzhou Feiyan Clothing Fty offers the 2869 women's blouse. Made of 100 percent cotton, the garment has a tucked front and an embellished neckline.

Prices of women's blouses from India range from $2.50 to $30, depending on the materials used and the complexity of the cut and embellishments. The majority of suppliers expect quotes to remain stable in the next six months.

On the other hand, China suppliers anticipate prices to rise by up to 10 percent in the next six months. Even so, quotes of blouses made there, which range from $2 to $5, are lower compared to those manufactured in India.

	Fancy of India has released the model 300/6867B women's blouse in cotton voile. Price is $3.50.

Apart from offering blouses that reflect the latest trends in fashion, suppliers make it a point to cater to customers' needs.

C.R. International of India has established its own fabric printing unit to provide clients with more design options.

To expedite the development and release of prototypes, Alpine International, another India supplier, has set-up a sampling team in its factory. The group is composed of two pattern makers, a merchandiser and support staff.

In China, the majority of suppliers cannot create original designs. To compensate for this, they are improving their capability in meeting buyers' demands.

There are sampling and pattern-making teams that use CAD software to ensure customers' specifications are followed accurately.

To reduce clients' waiting time, China makers of women's blouses source raw materials from suppliers in the same area as theirs to ensure swift delivery.

Wuxi Tex-land Apparel Co. Ltd sources silk from local suppliers. It is based in Jiangsu province, one of the major silk hubs in China.

Some companies, however, develop their own fabric blends and prints to give buyers more options. Manufacturing may be done in-house or subcontracted to textile mills.

Liaoning Zhongze Group Knitting Co. Ltd manufactures its own fabric. The company's factory has more than 200 knitting machines and dyeing lines.

Sixty-five percent of the materials used in Liaoning Zhongzhe's blouse production are made in this facility.

China Silk Wujiang Imp/Exp Co. Ltd also makes textiles in-house. Dyeing and printing can be down in the company's factory as well.