October 14, 2025 Shutdowns, shipping disruptions, and other Halloween frights - here’s what you need to know from your team in D.C. as you keep up. |
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EU Parliament Lawmakers Reach Deal on Bigger Cuts to Sustainability Reporting and Due Diligence Laws Oct. 9: Lawmakers in the European Parliament have reached an agreement on a proposed Parliamentary negotiating position on the EU Commission’s Omnibus I initiative which would see more significant reductions in the EU’s sustainability reporting and due diligence regulations than those proposed by the Commission. The deal would see particularly significant cuts to the number of companies covered by the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), removing all but the largest businesses from the scope of the regulation requiring companies to address their negative impacts on human rights and the environment across their value chains. (Source: ESG Today) |
From Policy to Practice: California’s SB 707 Enters Next Phase Oct. 8: In July, California’s textile recovery law reached a pivotal milestone when the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), National Retail Federation (NRF), and California Retailers Association (CRA) announced plans to establish the state’s first Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO). The formation of a PRO marks a crucial step in bringing SB 707 – the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 – from policy into practice. With PRO applications due to the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) by January 1, 2026, the implementation of this new law is officially underway. (Source: CFDA) |
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To Move or Not to Move? Manufacturers Hesitant to Nearshore Before USMCA Review Oct. 14: ... Mexico and Canada are the U.S.’ largest trading partners, with the country importing $505.5 billion and $411.9 billion worth of goods from the countries in 2024, respectively. The tariff exemption has led many firms already manufacturing in and sourcing from the two nations to reevaluate their products to see what qualifies. Some have seen increased business or a competitive advantage due to their existing compliance with USMCA. But the tariff situation has been too fluid to prompt major moves for manufacturers with global supply chains, according to trade consultants and attorneys. (Source: Supply Chain Dive) |
U.S. Consumers Shouldering 55 Percent of Trump Tariff Costs: Goldman Sachs Oct. 13: A new Goldman Sachs analysis says American consumers will shoulder 55 percent of the costs from President Trump’s tariffs this year. American businesses and foreign exporters will take on 22 percent and 18 percent of the costs, respectively, while 5 percent of the costs will be evaded. Goldman Sachs economists added in the report, published Sunday, that American firms will pass on their costs to consumers over the next few months. (Source: The Hill) |
China Retaliates Against U.S. Port Fees With New Charges on American Ships Oct. 10: China on Friday announced that starting Oct. 14, the country will start charging U.S. ships for docking at Chinese ports — a direct response to Washington for imposing fees on Chinese vessels arriving at U.S. ports, set to take effect the same day. The U.S. fees “seriously violate” international trading principles and “seriously damages” China-U.S. maritime trade, the Chinese Ministry of Transport said in the announcement, translated by CNBC. (Source: CNBC) |
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Global Digital Policy Roundup: September 2025 Oct. 13: ... The roundup serves as a guide for navigating global digital policy based on the work of the Digital Policy Alert. To ensure trust, every finding links to the Digital Policy Alert entry with the official government source. Drawing from the Digital Policy Alert’s daily monitoring of developments in the G20 countries, it summarizes the highlights of August 2025 in four core areas of digital policy. (Source: Tech Policy Press) |
From Counterfeits to Tariffs: Fashion’s Supply Chain Under Strain Oct. 8: ... Major marketplaces, populated by third party sellers, have always had an “out” when it comes to setting terms of service that prohibit the sale of counterfeit products, and then applying ‘enforcement’ in the form of removing listings and banning sellers behind them. Thus far, that’s been enough to placate brands, but this week’s case shows that the will for assigning responsibility may be shifting from seller to host. (Source: Interline) |
AAFA Targets Meta, Alibaba and Shopee in Counterfeit Crackdown Oct. 7: ... The American Apparel & Footwear Association announced its demands as the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) reviews the 2025 Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy list (NML). The association aims to include all five platforms on this list, noting that artificial intelligence is driving an “alarming” surge in counterfeit goods. (Source: Fashion Network) |
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Trimco Group Industry Chat: Last week, AAFA President and CEO, Steve Lamar spoke with Trimco Group Product DNA, North America Project Development Manager, Kelly West. In this Industry Chat, they reviewed various upcoming regulations for 2026 that will continue to impact the apparel and footwear industry. Watch here to catch up on EUDR, French Product Environment Footprint (PEF), and EPR and find out how Trimco can help. |
New port fees on Chinese-owned and operated carriers: This morning, AAFA responded to a new port-fee regime implemented by the Trump Administration. Effective today, the U.S. government began imposing fees on Chinese-owned and operated carriers, as well as on any ocean carriers with Chinese-built vessels calling at U.S. ports. China has retaliated by imposing matching port fees on U.S.-flagged, built, owned, or operated ships. AAFA urges both countries to step back from these escalating fees, which risk disrupting trade, creating inefficiencies across supply chains, and raising costs for businesses and consumers alike. For questions, please reach out to Audrey Clark. |
Upcoming Social Responsibility and Environmental Committee meetings: Join AAFA at Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production’s (WRAP) headquarters in Arlington, VA, on November 5 for the Social Responsibility Committee Meeting and on November 6 for the Environmental Committee Meeting. These in-person sessions will address the latest social compliance and environmental challenges impacting the apparel and footwear industry. AAFA members can view draft agendas by logging into the AAFA website. For questions, please contact Chelsea Murtha or Nate Herman. |
Trade advocacy: Effective November 1, President Trump has threatened an additional 100 percent tariff on goods from China, on top of the 30 percent tariffs already in effect. These tariff deadlines are shared via the AAFA Tariffs 101 page and our regularly updated 'Trade Negotiations by Country' tracker found there. The next member only tariff call will be on Monday, October 20 at noon ET. Despite the shutdown, AAFA continues to push for retroactive renewal of the now lapsed African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act and Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Act (Haiti HOPE/HELP) trade preference programs. These programs have long enjoyed bipartisan, bicameral support, and we are grateful to all members and stakeholders for their continued advocacy and commitment to this effort. Please continue to make those phone calls and send those letters to your Members of Congress urging renewal. Every little bit helps. AAFA member brands can take part in the upcoming Trade and Customs Committee meeting on October 28 in D.C. and Capitol Hill Lobby Day on October 29. To participate, please reach out to Beth Hughes. In case you missed it, earlier this month AAFA and Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), AAFA’s CSR Partner, issued Version 2.0 of the member-only AAFA/WRAP Guidelines for Responsible Sourcing in Tariff-Impacted Supply Chains. We encourage members to use this resource as tariffs continue to disrupt sourcing strategies. AAFA and WRAP will also be co-hosting a Social Responsibility Workshop in Guatemala City on November 21, please share with your suppliers in the region! |
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| MANGO is a multinational fashion company dedicated to designing, manufacturing, distributing, and retailing clothing, footwear, and accessories. Founded in 1984 in Barcelona, MANGO has placed creativity and design at the heart of its business, developing collections that stand out for their distinctive brand language. MANGO’s purpose is to offer accessible, high-quality fashion to customers worldwide, while promoting innovation, sustainability, and social responsibility across its entire value chain. The company strives to understand its customers and provide them with a personalized, engaging experience by integrating the latest technologies to enhance the shopping journey. MANGO is committed to sustainable growth by fostering circularity, reducing its environmental footprint, and upholding high ethical and transparency standards in its global operations. |
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| Visit our events calendar for all AAFA webinars, scheduled events, and member/committee calls. |
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About the American Apparel & Footwear Association The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) is the national trade association representing apparel, footwear and other sewn products companies, and their suppliers, which compete in the global market. Representing more than 1,100 world famous name brands, AAFA is the trusted public policy and political voice of the apparel and footwear industry, its management and shareholders, its more than 3.6 million U.S. workers, and its contribution of more than $523 billion in annual U.S. retail sales. AAFA drives progress on three key priorities: Brand Protection; Supply Chain & Sourcing; and Trade, Logistics, & Manufacturing. AAFA approaches this work through the lens of purpose-driven leadership in a manner that supports each member’s ability to build and sustain inclusive and diverse cultures, meet and advance ESG goals, and draw upon the latest technology. |
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