American Apparel & Footwear Association,update

Monday, June 8 2:00 PM ET to 3:00 PM ET | Online Register Webinar: Stop Letting Unsold Inventory Destroy Your Margins Returns, excess stock, and last season collections are increasingly shaping both profitability and sustainability outcomes. While the volume of unsold goods continues to grow, many brands still default to recycling or disposal - missing opportunities to recover value and extend product lifecycles. A strategic approach to disposition is now essential. But building one requires more than just access to channels; it demands the right operational model, partner ecosystem, and decision-making framework to balance cost, control, and customer expectations. In this session, our panel of industry experts will share how leading brands are approaching disposition differently - embedding value recovery into their post-purchase operations through intelligent routing, recommerce, and circularity strategies. Join us to gain practical insights on how to structure your disposition network, select the right recovery pathways, and turn unsold and returned goods into a source of both commercial and environmental value. Attendees of this webinar will learn: How to design a structured disposition strategy that balances margin recovery, brand protection, and sustainability goals across returns and unsold inventory. How to leverage recommerce, repair, and alternative channels to unlock value from returned and excess stock. To identify what networks and operational models are required to scale value recovery and turn returns into a measurable commercial and environmental opportunity. Speakers: Kaitlyn Paradise Head of North America Operations ReBound Inge Baars Head of Sustainability ReBound Travis Smith CEO & Co-Founder Reflex Sales Group, Inc. AAFA Host: Conor O’Brien Sustainability Policy Specialist AAFA  Sponsored By: Our webinars provide the apparel and footwear industry with educational content focused on niche, innovative concepts and successful business practices. Contact AAFA Events for information about conducting an AAFA webinar. SUBSCRIBE | ABOUT | EVENTS | ADVERTISE | JOIN May 26, 2026 This week, World Trade Month comes to a close, but AAFA's trade policy advocacy continues on! Read on for all the latest industry news. Is Fashion Ready for DPPs? May 26: ... The DPP hopes to provide a way of communicating this more clearly with consumers, by allowing them to access data about a garment’s composition and carbon footprint using a scannable code. The EU-wide scheme will provide consumers with better information to allow them to make informed choices, helping move society towards more sustainable choices and eventually circularity. (Source: Just Style) Global Fashion Brands Call for Tax Reforms to Scale Resale and Repair May 24: ... A coalition of 68 organizations across the fashion and textile value chain has endorsed a joint business statement urging governments in Europe, the US, and Canada to remove economic barriers limiting the growth of circular business models. The campaign also includes organizations such as the American Apparel & Footwear Association, Fashion for Good, ThredUp, and Global Fashion Agenda. (Source: Textile Today) High Gas Prices, Cost of Living Send U.S. Consumer Sentiment to All-Time Low May 22: The May consumer sentiment index dropped for the third consecutive month, falling to 44.2 and landing below the previous record low of 49.8 set in April. The US-Israeli war in Iran and its subsequent oil supply crunch and price shocks have worsened sentiment that already was soured by years of high inflation and an affordability crisis. (Source: CNN) Trump Said He’d ‘Remember’ Companies That Didn’t Apply for Tariff Refunds. Many of Them Are Anyway May 22: ... There’s a strong business incentive to apply — as well as, for many, a fiduciary responsibility. Major companies have a chance to regain potentially billions of dollars and maximize returns for shareholders. (Source: CNBC) First USMCA Negotiations to Focus on Content Rules, Economic Security, Greer Says May 22: U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Friday that the first round of formal negotiations to update the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement next week in Mexico City will focus on strengthening regional rules of origin ⁠and economic security provisions. (Source: Reuters) Why Fashion Companies Like Levi’s Are Pushing for a 15‑Year AGOA Extension May 19: ...Responding to the U.S. Trade Representative’s request for public comment, the American Apparel & Footwear Association credited the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, with transforming Africa into a viable sourcing partner, boosting American textile exports and encouraging supply chain diversification away from China, where mounting costs, political risks and forced labor concerns have made sourcing increasingly fraught. (Source: Sourcing Journal) Consumers Searching for Counterfeit Goods with the Help of AI: A New Trend in the Market May 25: Artificial intelligence (AI) is not only transforming legal industries; it is also redefining the counterfeit goods market. What once depended on informal contacts or physical markets can now be found through algorithms, intelligent search engines, and automated recommendations. The Fakes and dupes in consumer goods report by Statista reveals that consumers no longer buy counterfeit products by accident: they now actively search for them, even with the help of AI, marking a new stage in the evolution of digital consumption. (Source: Merca2.0) Deepfakes are Testing the Limits of IP Law May 21: ... On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers reintroduced the NO FAKES Act, which would essentially give all Americans an IP right to their voice and likeness. The act’s sponsors promote it not only as a way to protect artists and entertainers from having their creative output co-opted by AI, but as a safeguard for everyone else against pornographic deepfakes, fraudulent impersonation and a host of other ills. (Source: POLITICO) Lawmakers Push for Tech Regulation Bills Targeting Facebook, ChatGPT May 13: ... Legislators are also taking aim at addressing the issue of online scams perpetrated through social media platforms such as Facebook, hoping to force companies like Meta to take action. State Sen. Leroy Comrie, who sponsors a bill known as Fraudulent Social Media Advertising Prevention Act, said during a news conference on Wednesday that he had fallen for that type of scam. He recalled seeing an advertisement on Facebook for a pair of shoes he was interested in buying, so he visited the advertised page to purchase them. But the website turned out to be fraudulent and targeted Comrie’s bank information. (Source: Times Union) Texbase Industry Chat: This AAFA Industry Chat features President and CEO Stephen Lamar and Texbase founder and chairman, Joe Walkuski. The two discussed why a reactive relationship with data, after a product is produced in bulk, is incredibly risky, and what a more proactive approach looks like in practice. Watch here. Last week, AAFA supported member FIGS at their "Healthcare is Human" advocacy rally on Capitol Hill. AAFA's Chelsea Murtha and Katie Koscher visit AAFA Member WM's textile recycling facility just outside Greenville, South Carolina to see up close how advanced robotics and near-infrared technology enables WM to identify and separate materials by fiber composition and color. World Trade Month concludes: While this week marks the end of World Trade Month, AAFA's trade policy advocacy continues. The effort to renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) remains in key focus. On May 15, AAFA submitted comments to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) regarding the Modernization of AGOA. AAFA is planning an AGOA lobby day in Washington, DC on June 3. Please let Beth Hughes know if you are interested in participating. Earlier this month, the Court of International Trade (CIT) ruled against the Section 122 tariffs imposed by the Trump administration in February, a decision the administration has since appealed with a request for an injunction. Meanwhile, importers of record are beginning to receive Phase 1 tariff refunds through the CAPE process, while eagerly waiting to hear details and criteria for further phases. We are continuing to closely monitor both developments as they unfold.   This month, AAFA is closely monitoring ongoing U.S.-Mexico-Canada-Trade-Agreement (USMCA) negotiations, as U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer engages in discussions in Mexico this week. The Association continues to strongly back this critical agreement and reinforced its importance to the industry through comments and testimony submitted last year.   The AAFA team is continuing to update the Sourcing in New Countries profiles resource for members, including newly updated insights on sourcing in the Philippines and Vietnam. Member login is required to download the profiles (25 published to date).   For the latest updates, members can join AAFA's Trade and Customs Committee and member-only tariff calls. Registration is open for the next two calls on June 22 and July 27. Talk to Beth Hughes or Maureen Storch to get involved.   Brand Protection in focus: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a notice in the Federal Register early this month, requesting comments on the “prevalence and safety risks of mislabeling or unauthorized use of counterfeit certification marks.” The request includes nearly a dozen specific questions and requests data, examples, and analysis to support comments, if practicable. Member feedback on this notice is due to AAFA by June 11.    Next week, AAFA's Senior Director of Brand Protection, Jennifer Hanks, will head to the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) Advisory Committee on Enforcement (ACE) to speak on the "Dangers of the Digital Devalue Chain of Counterfeits." If you’ll be attending ACE—or are based in Geneva and interested in connecting—please reach out.   For further updates, member can join the next Brand Protection Council meeting on June 9 where TikTok representatives will join at the top to discuss TikTok Real and more.  Member Welcome: YCM GreenX Inc. YCM GreenX Inc. is a mold prevention and fungal risk management company supporting global apparel, footwear, and consumer goods supply chains.   With more than 15 years of field experience, YCM works with brands, manufacturers, and suppliers to identify mold-risk factors, improve preventive practices, and strengthen product quality, worker safety, and sustainability performance across production environments.   By integrating microbiology, environmental science, data analysis, smart monitoring, and AI-supported risk assessment, YCM helps supply chain partners better understand mold-related risks and implement practical preventive actions. Its mold-risk database, built from more than 500,000 records, supports environmental trend analysis, contamination source tracking, and risk-based decision-making.   YCM GreenX seeks to contribute to industry-wide knowledge sharing and more sustainable supply chain management through data-driven mold prevention, responsible chemical reduction, material waste reduction, and healthier production environments. May–June   May 27 | Online: Webinar: Beyond Compliance: Unlocking Value from Multi-Tier Traceability June 2 | In Person: Brands General Counsels Committee Meeting* June 8 | Online: Webinar: Stop Letting Unsold Inventory Destroy Your Margins June 10 | Online: Webinar: Inside the 2026 Oritain Supply Chain Intelligence Report June 15 | Online: Virtual Training: Sourcing Destinations Beyond the Top 5 Suppliers* June 17 | Online: Webinar: How Reliable Risk Intelligence Drives Forced Labor Detection June 17 | Online: Monthly Member-Only Shipping Roundtable* June 22 | Online: AAFA Member-Only Call on Tariffs* June 25 | Online: Discussion: California Packaging EPR and Source Reduction Planning*   *Member-only content Government Contractors Forum Sept. 15-16 | Philadelphia, PA Visit our events calendar for all AAFA webinars, scheduled events, and member/committee calls. Plan your sponsorships early for 2027 and contact Megan Balkovic to discuss your preferred events and programs for next year. 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. PRIORITIES | SOLUTIONS | ACCESS | ABOUT | EVENTS

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