January 6, 2026 Happy New Year! The AAFA team is renewed here in D.C. as your advocates across Trade, Logistics, and Manufacturing; Supply Chain and Sourcing, and Brand Protection. Here is what you need to know as we kick off 2026. |
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SGB 2026 Look Ahead — Active Lifestyle Footwear Market Leaders Jan. 6: ... Nate Herman EVP, American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) [...] "On the policy front, while 2025 brought federal environmental deregulation, the industry continues to engage constructively at the state level. Advancing sustainability, compliance, and traceability remains essential to long-term growth and innovation. Progress such as California’s SB 707 and the planned rollout of extended producer responsibility frameworks in 2026 demonstrates how practical, aligned policies can support a more circular economy. The goal is to see these approaches harmonized and scaled nationally, guided by the Threads Sustainability and Social Responsibility Protocol." (Source: SBG Media) |
The Forces That Will Shape Fashion’s Supply Chains in 2026 Jan. 5: ... “In 2025, tariffs functioned less like a static tax and more like a strategic variable that reshaped ordering patterns, inventory decisions, supplier allocation, and nearshoring conversations because the risk of change became as important as the rate itself,” says Mark Burstein, senior vice president for the Americas at Inspectorio, who also sits on the board of directors for the American Apparel & Footwear Association. “In 2026, even if specific rates shift, tariff-driven sourcing strategy will likely remain a core agenda item." (Source: Vogue Business) |
What’s Next for Apparel Sourcing in 2026? Dec. 16: ... For brands that stockpiled in 2025 to bypass anticipated tariff increases, buffer capacity is limited, and the reprieve may be short-lived. Steve Lamar, president and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), warns: “We can’t rely on overstock forever. By Spring 2026, we’ll begin to feel the full weight of tariffs in the supply chain and unfortunately, that pressure risks trickling forward into higher prices.” (Source: Just Style) |
What 2026 Will Bring for 4 Key ESG Methodologies Dec. 1: This year was a busy one for updates to four widely used corporate climate target-setting and carbon-accounting frameworks. Next year will be even busier, as companies grapple with shifting geopolitics, review progress against their existing near-term emissions reduction commitments and look beyond 2030 to set new ones. Here’s a cheat sheet for what to expect next from B Lab Global, the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). (Source: Trellis) |
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With Trump's Tariffs on the Line, U.S. Supreme Court Plans Rulings for Friday Jan. 6: The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue rulings on Friday as it weighs cases with major implications both nationally and around the world including the legality of President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs. The court indicated on its website on Tuesday that it could release decisions in argued cases when the justices take the bench during a scheduled sitting on Friday. The court does not announce ahead of time which rulings it intends to issue. (Source: Reuters) |
As Tariffs Hit Brands and Customers Alike, More Price Hikes are Coming in 2026 Jan. 5: ... McKinsey stated in its State of Fashion 2026 report, released in November, that around 71% of fashion executives are planning to increase their prices in the next year. Twenty-six percent of non-luxury brands expect to raise prices by more than 5%, while only 18% of luxury brands reported the same. Brand executives Glossy spoke to all indicated that they increased prices in 2025 and are likely to do so in 2026. Tariffs continue to affect their supply chains, and as brands’ ability to absorb costs wanes, those costs will soon be passed on to customers. (Source: Glossy) |
Africa Year-End Review 2025: Stress-Testing and Strategic Shifts Jan. 5: ... Congress contemplated AGOA’s future, debating a short extension with modernization provisions. For exporters, this created a dual pressure of protecting current volumes while preparing for possible disruption. In many cases, orders were frontloaded in early 2025, and buyers placed firms on conditional contracts tied to stricter compliance or fallback sourcing contingencies. Smaller suppliers with limited capacity to reconfigure quickly, faced cancellations or margin squeezes. (Source: Fibre2Fashion) |
Weak Consumer Demand, Tariff Turmoil Set the Stage for 2026 Jan. 2: ... The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will see its formal six-year review in July 2026, and tensions between the North American trading partners remain high. Meanwhile, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Haiti HOPE-HELP programs lapsed in September without concrete plans for a renewal (despite some efforts from Congress to spur a speedy reinstatement for both trade preference programs). The uncertain status of all of these trade statutes could further reshuffle the sourcing matrix in 2026. (Source: Sourcing Journal) |
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TikTok’s Transformation into a Shopping App is Complete Jan. 1: It's official. TikTok is now actually a shopping platform, not just a video app with a random tab trying to sell you stuff. TikTok Shop was the No. 3 fastest-growing brand in the US in 2025, according to a November Morning Consult report on consumer purchase consideration. The app drove over $500 million in US sales during the four-day stretch between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. (Source: Business Insider) |
A Look at Retail’s Year of AI News Dec. 23: There was no shortage of AI-related announcements from retailers in 2025. From mass retailers to apparel brands, companies across the industry laid bare their efforts to utilize — and adapt to — AI internally and in consumer-facing ways. But despite the seemingly endless AI mentions from retailers in 2025, the industry is falling behind others. (Source: Retail Dive) |
Section 230 Fight is Back Dec. 18: Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) introduced the Sunset Section 230 Act, which would repeal the tech liability shield within two years. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act shields companies from facing lawsuits over third-party user-generated content on their platforms. It has become increasingly controversial in recent years, as Americans have sought to hold major tech firms accountable, particularly for online harms to children. (Source: The Hill) |
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Tracking trade happenings: The Supreme Court's decision on tariff legality under IEEPA could come as early as Friday, January 9. The AAFA team is here to help keep you on the pulse, with Beth Hughes providing regular Trade and Customs Committee (TCC) notes. The next Trade and Customs Committee Monthly Call takes place next Tuesday, January 13, at 3:00 PM ET followed by the broader member-only tariff call on Monday, January 26 at noon ET. We’ll also host the next Shipping Roundtable on Wednesday, January 21 at noon ET.
In the meantime, we encourage AAFA members to stay up to date on tariff negotiations and key deadlines with the Tariffs 101 page and the regularly updated 'Trade Negotiations by Country' resource.
Did you know AAFA's Committees are available to staff members in a wide array of roles and seniority levels across each member organization? Connect with Membership if you need a roster of your current status across the ten groups to be sure you and your colleagues are kept informed every step of the way. |
New resource! State Policy Map: AAFA launched a new member-only interactive map that provides an overview of key state-level legislative and regulatory activity that AAFA is tracking across the country. Questions? Contact Andrew Pappas, Director of State and Local Government Affairs. |
Garment District Alliance Business Development Collective: The Business Development Collaborative is a multi-year program that offers free training, consulting, events and creative services to the diverse ecosystem of Garment District businesses, entrepreneurs and workers. The Garment District Alliance is seeking Program Managers to develop and deliver programming designed to revitalize legacy industries, build a stronger workforce, and boost economic vitality for Cycle 5 of the Business Development Collaborative. The submission deadline is January 15. |
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Member Welcome: Bamboo Rose |
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| Bamboo Rose empowers retailers to drive results from planning to delivery with TotalPLM™, the ultimate AI-powered, end-to-end collaborative platform for retail supply chain management. |
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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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