American Apparel & Footwear Association,update

Wednesday, August 19 2:00 PM ET to 3:00 PM ET | Online REGISTER Webinar: Intelligent Automation: Speed and Responsibility — Can Our Industry Have Both? For decades, the apparel, footwear, and fashion industry has been optimized for one thing: speed. Faster design cycles. Faster sourcing decisions. Faster product launches. Faster response to demand. Today, however, a new reality is emerging. This session explores whether the industry's perceived trade-off between speed and responsibility is real—or whether intelligent automation, connected data, and digital supply chain visibility can eliminate the need to choose. Sponsored by: Wednesday, August 26 2:00 PM ET to 3:00 PM ET | Online REGISTER Webinar: U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol x Oritain: Raising The Bar for Sustainability in Apparel Sustainability in apparel has matured past broad commitments and category-level claims. Consumers are looking for data and traceability behind the materials they wear and are holding brands to a higher standard of proof. To meet that, brands need trusted, verifiable data that gives them greater confidence in the materials they are sourcing. The Trust Protocol is committed to driving continuous improvement in the production of U.S. cotton through transparent, verifiable data, and together with Oritain, they offer the highest level of end-to-end traceability in the industry. Join this session to discover how consumer expectations are guiding sourcing decisions and what brands are now expected to prove. Sponsored by: Wednesday, September 2 2:00 PM ET to 3:00 PM ET | Online REGISTER Webinar: CPSC eFiling Is Live: Turning Certificate Chaos into an Audit-Ready Workflow As margin pressure and tariff volatility continue to reshape global trade, importers are placing greater focus on what happens after contracts are signed. This educational session explores how leading importers are strengthening contract-to-cash discipline across international freight operations. Using practical shipper examples, the session will examine how organizations improve forecast accuracy, reduce cost leakage from misapplied contract terms, and bring greater structure to detention, demurrage, chassis, and yard storage management.  Sponsored by: Monday, September 14 2:00 PM ET to 3:00 PM ET | Online REGISTER Webinar: PFAS Compliance: From Test Result to Defensible Claim PFAS restrictions for apparel, footwear, and textiles are tightening fast. California’s AB 1817 caps total organic fluorine at 100 ppm today and 50 ppm from 2027; New York and Colorado are phasing in limits, France’s national ban took effect in 2026, and the EU’s universal REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals) restrictions advances. Increasingly, brands and suppliers must substantiate PFAS claims, not just assert them. This session explains how product conformity assessment turns a test result into a defensible claim. We cover why PFAS is best assessed at the material level (substrate plus finish), how risk stratification focuses limited testing where fluorinated chemistry is most likely, and why a credible claim rests on two independent pillars: analytical testing AND process-control evidence. Sponsored by: Wednesday, September 30 2:00 PM ET to 3:00 PM ET | Online REGISTER Webinar: Better Fit Starts With Better Data Fit is only as consistent as the data behind it. Many fit issues are actually data issues in disguise—outdated measurements, gaps in data coverage, incomplete definitions of the target customer, incorrect specifications, or the absence of clear grading rules across size ranges. This session explains how it starts with body measurement data and how accurately it reflects the bodies you're actually designing for. But fit depends on more than one data source, and when the connections between them break down, the problem shows up in the garment. Sponsored by: Brand Building with AAFA Now pre-booking 2027 Webinars! Calendar space is limited so connect with Megan Balkovic now to lock in your preferred dates. ATTENTION: Please also contact Megan Balkovic if you receive solicitations to purchase contact information of AAFA members or event attendees. Please do not click on any links from non-affiliated AAFA organizations or in suspicious e-mails. See the AAFA privacy policy to learn more. 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

740 6th Street, NW
3rd and 4th Floors
Washington, DC 20001
T: (202) 853-9080

Copyright © 2026 American Apparel & Footwear Association