Fakes put to good use

Victims of Hurricane Katrina can look forward to sporting some knock-off designer duds, which have been seized by federal customs officials. Not that they will be concerned with trivialities such as 'fake' versus 'real'. In one of the greatest natural disasters in recent times, hundreds of thousands have been rendered homeless with nothing but the clothes on their backs to call their own.

Survivors in the Houston Astrodome will be allowed to choose from counterfeit and abandoned clothing, toys and even dog food. More than 100,000 items have been retrieved from warehouses, and there are plans for more where they came from.

According to figures released in a Senate hearing, US companies lose up to $250 billion from counterfeit goods. Last year federal officials seized $138 million knockoffs, as opposed to $94 million in 2003. According to reports counterfeit clothing accounts for 18 percent of all confiscated items. Most counterfeit goods come from China , the United Arab Emirates , Pakistan and Russia , say US Customs officials.