Newsletter at-a-glance

AAFA sent a "key vote" letter ahead of today's consideration to renew the Generalized System of Preferences in the House of Representatives (see article in Trade and under AAFA News). Meanwhile, social media is becoming a bigger problem when it comes to counterfeits, with fake followers and fake goods causing havoc (see Brand Protection).

February 12: ... The clarification came Monday after President Donald Trump had said earlier in the day that his administration was planning to enact a levy on imports from other countries at the same rates those countries impose on U.S. products. (Source: Bloomberg)

February 12: The House on Tuesday will vote under suspension of the rules to renew the Generalized System of Preferences for three years and retroactively apply the program’s tariff cuts to duties paid since the GSP lapsed at the end of December 2017, according to Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) schedule for Feb. 13. ... On Monday, the American Apparel & Footwear Association issued a key vote alert for the bill. (Source: Inside U.S. Trade - article unlocked)

February 7: Senate Finance Committee Republicans used a rare White House meeting with President Donald Trump on Wednesday to stress how trade affects the American economy — urging him to preserve NAFTA and, in turn, jobs in their districts. (Source: Politico)

February issue: ... The most loyal customers today expect more from the brands and retailers they do business with. (Source: Fashion Mannuscript, op-ed from AAFA's Nate Herman)

February 12: President Donald Trump Monday released his long-awaited proposal to upgrade roads, airports and other public works, kicking off what will likely be a tough sell in Congress with Democrats saying the plan falls short and Republicans wary of another big spending measure. (Source: Bloomberg)

February 8: A judge in Bangladesh has convicted the opposition leader Khaleda Zia of corruption and sentenced her to five years in jail as police clashed with thousands of her supporters outside the court. (Source: The Guardian)

February 7: ... Facebook, Inc., which owns both Facebook and Instagram, reported last month that it had removed nearly 3 million posts, including videos, ads and other forms of content, from its sites during the first half of 2017, in response to takedown complaints of counterfeiting and trademark and copyright infringement. Yet the counterfeit ads and rogue accounts, many posing as increasingly sophisticated sellers and resellers of luxury goods, keep coming. (Source: Dazed)

February 6: ... Experts, including two who formerly worked for Amazon, suspect they are unwitting accomplices in a ruse to manipulate the all-important buyer reviews posted by Amazon. (Source: The Boston Globe)

AAFA key votes GSP as "Yes" vote: Ahead of today's vote to renew the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, AAFA sent a "Key Vote" letter to the U.S. House of Representatives urging a "Yes" vote on final legislation.

Flagging fakes: On February 8, AAFA submitted comments in response to a request by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) – as part of its Special 301 review – detailing industry concerns with foreign country intellectual property rights practices. Access the comments.

AAFA's official Corporate Social Responsibility Partner: Last week, AAFA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) during AAFA’s Social Responsibility Committee meeting in Long Beach, CA. The collaborative venture will leverage the organizations’ expertise in CSR for the apparel and footwear industry with a focus on labor and working hours. AAFA and WRAP will work together to provide industry tools, resources, and thought leadership to be delivered at AAFA committee meetings, educational events, and webinars. Stay tuned for the release of guidance this year on North Korean sanctions as well as industry best practices for working hours, both for AAFA members. View the press release to learn more.

Avedis Seferian, President and CEO of WRAP with
Nate Herman, AAFA's Senior Vice President of Supply Chain at the MOU signing on February 7. 

EC leadership welcome: Please help us welcome Emily Gigot – Social Responsibility Specialist at SanMar – as the new Chair of AAFA’s Environmental Committee (EC). We’d like to extend our appreciation to Greg Montello of New Balance Athletics, Inc. for his leadership in guiding the committee as Chair and Vice Chair since 2011. View our Committee descriptions to learn more about how you can take part in the EC or any of AAFA’s 11 active committees, subcommittees, councils, and working groups.

This Week in Las Vegas: Yesterday at FN PLATFORM and SOURCING at MAGIC, AAFA led in-depth sessions to educate the industry, including "Global Value Chains and How They Can Shape U.S. Trade Policy" with panelists from USFIA, SanMar, and Levi Strauss & Co. and "Creating an Intellectual Property Rights Culture" with experts in IPR law.  

February & March Feb. 21 Webinar: Millennials, Parents, and Textile Sustainability  Feb. 28 Board of Directors Meeting and Capitol Hill Visit  Feb. 28 - March 2 AAFA Executive Summit March 7 Webinar: When Technology Meets Fashion Sustainability March 15 Member-Only Webinar: Pivotal 2018 Mid-Term Elections & What's at Stake   Visit our events calendar for all AAFA webinars and industry events.

Reserve a spot!