March 12: ... mixed signals coming from the White House and Beijing are causing analysts to question whether President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, will be able to finalize an agreement to end a costly trade war by early April as originally predicted. (Source: VOA)

March 12: ... Last week, the Trump administration upped the stakes, notifying Congress that it would be ending India’s preferential trade status with the United States, which exempts designated Indian exports from American tariffs. The move would also end Turkey’s preferential market access to the United States. (Source: World Politics Review - login required)

March 5: ... The shift in production away from China could also lead to price increases as demand grows for factories in countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh, said Rick Helfenbein, president of the American Apparel and Footwear Association in Washington. ... “When you get that bump, factories will raise the prices,” Helfenbein said. “It’s going to happen throughout the supply chain.” (Source: Reuters)

March 11: ... Under the terms of a 2018 UN led agreement between Myanmar and Bangladesh – which hosts more than a million Rohingyas in exile – Myanmar has agreed to create conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of Rohingya refugees. Today, the conditions of this Memorandum of Understanding have not been met, the Special Rapporteur said. (Source: UN News)

March 7: ... Nate Herman of the American Apparel and Footwear Association, a trade body, said the legislation is getting ahead of science and that more research is needed before slapping labels on garments. Mr. Herman was part of a working group set up by Connecticut last year to examine how the public could be educated about microfibers. (Source: Wall Street Journal)

March 6: ... Although not a direct replacement for the former Alliance – which ceased operations in December 2018 – the incoming Nirapon initiative ... already has around 20 supporting industry organisations on board and looks set to perpetuate similar standards and processes implemented by the Alliance. (Source: ECOTEXTILE News)

March issue: ... As we begin 2019, it is both an exciting and daunting task for brand protection professionals to anticipate what is to come down the pipeline. ... Here are three things that should be on your 2019 brand protection radar. (Source: Fashion Mannuscript, op-ed by AAFA's Christina Mitropoulos)

March 11: According to the OECD and Indicam studies, the value of counterfeit and pirated Italian goods sold worldwide in 2016 reached 32 billion euros. (Source: Women's Wear Daily - login required)

March 5: ... For the second year in a row, Supreme – the cult streetwear/skatewear brand that has experienced a marked boom in popularity in recent years, in particular – topped SEMrush’s list of brands for which consumers are seeking out fakes, followed by Ray-Ban, Audemars Piguet, Oakley and Vans. (Source: The Fashion Law)

This week at the National Harbor! AAFA's Executive Summit kicks off tomorrow afternoon, following the annual Spring Board of Directors meeting, at the MGM National Harbor. Follow along on Twitter with #AAFASummit to see what's happening!

AAFA's Made in USA directory: Do you make products in the USA? Member companies are encouraged to update their profile in AAFA's Made in USA directory. Launched in 2014, the Made in USA directory has become an increasingly important tool as companies look to source more apparel, footwear, and accessories – and the inputs that go into those articles – in the United States. To add or update your company profile, contact Sarah Vincent.

See all of AAFA’s latest letters, comments, and testimony here.