AAFA news and archive

US trade organisations commend Trump’s comments on sneaker and T-shirt production

Leading US fashion and textile organisations have backed recent comments by president Donald Trump in which he suggested that his stringent tariff policies were “not focused on driving sneaker and T-shirt production to the US”. A joint letter – signed by the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), Council of Fashion Designers of America...

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AAFA, FDRA and NRF welcome US-China tariff pause, call for long-term deal

US apparel and footwear trade associations have welcomed the US and China’s 90-day pause on heightened tariffs. Yet, while the temporary agreement has somewhat calmed the waters of the two regions’ trade war, organisations are still calling for a long-term deal that will mitigate rising costs and prices. This was reflected in a statement from...

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AAFA expresses concern over ‘on-again, off-again’ tariff policy

Steve Lamar, the president and chief executive officer of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), has expressed concern over what he called an “on-again, off-again tariff policy” that he says “is forcing companies to careen between chaos and costs”. While Lamar and the organisation welcomed the current 90-day pause on certain tariffs...

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US fashion industry pushes for extension of Haiti trade programme

US congressman Greg Murphy, alongside other representatives, has introduced a bipartisan legislation calling for the 10-year extension of the country’s trade programme with Haiti, a bill that leading fashion industry figures are adamantly supporting. The HOPE/HELP trade programmes, which are set to expire in September 2025, intend to help...

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Trump is to be the next US president: What does this mean for fashion and retail?

“America has spoken,” as said by Steve Lamar, president and chief executive officer of the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA). Donald Trump is to return to the White House to serve as the 47th US president, while his Republican party has also won control of the Senate. With dozens of races still to be called, meaning power over the...

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2025 AAFA Executive Summit: Trust and Transformation

The American Apparel & Footwear Association’s AAFA Executive Summit returns to Washington, D.C. on March 5-7, 2025, to address the pivotal issues impacting the industry’s responsible growth and sustainable progress. In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, Trust and Transformation are not just buzzwords – they are the foundations for...

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AAFA president on the US election year, counterfeiting and conscious regulation

The US election is continuing to heat up, with voting day now visibly on the horizon. While at the forefront of debates are the policies and outlooks presented by political candidates, there is much behind-the-scenes work by industry representatives that goes well beyond the deadlines of ballot entries. For fashion, the American Apparel &...

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AAFA and FLA urge interim Bangladesh government to improve worker rights

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) together with the Fair Labor Association (FLA) have issued a joint letter to Bangladesh’s interim government calling on the improvement of worker rights for the country’s garment, footwear and travel goods industries. In a letter to Mohammad Yunus, chief advisor for the interim government of...

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AAFA supports call to extend duty-free deal with African markets

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has welcomed and expressed support for a new bill attempting to extend the currently in place African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which is set to expire September 2025. The AGOA Renewal and Improvement Act of 2024, introduced by Senators Chris Coons and James Risch, calls on the original...

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AAFA calls on Bangladesh to stop 'threats' to garment workers

American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has called for an end to "the threats and crackdown on garment workers in Bangladesh" in an open letter addressed to the president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGMEA). In recent months, the protesters have been protesting against one of the lowest wages in the world,...

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The 2024 AAFA Executive Summit: Fashioning a Healthy Future

The 2024 AAFA Executive Summit – Fashioning a Healthy Future – will return to Washington, D.C. March 6-8. The thought-provoking panels will address pivotal issues impacting the industry’s growth and progress, the program infuses priorities of ESG, and future-proofing our industry, along with the industry’s role in influencing smart...

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American fashion industry welcomes California’s climate accountability act

Organisations leading the American fashion industry have outlined their support of California’s proposed Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (SB 253) in a joint letter. The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), the Accessories Council and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) came together to approve the legislation,...