American Apparel & Footwear Association,update

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November 3, 2026

This week in focus: Election Day is here, a potential port strike, and the industry's top news in today's Weekly Brief.

Bangladesh Forms Garment Wage Board as Protests Escalate

Nov. 2: ... The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), which repeatedly called on the Bangladeshi government to drop “baseless” criminal charges and First Information Reports filed against garment workers and labor leaders following the 2023 demonstrations, called the establishment of a new wage board a “critical opportunity” to deliver a fair wage that allows garment workers to support themselves and their families. (Source: Sourcing Journal)

Why Fashion’s DPP Challenge Starts Before the Rules Are Final

Oct. 30: ... Conor O’Brien, sustainability policy specialist at the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), explained the industry was already dealing with multiple requirements that depend on product and supply chain data. “It’s really inefficient to build separate compliance systems each time a new law is enacted,” he said. Instead, AAFA is encouraging companies to develop a centralised data infrastructure that can support multiple traceability, sustainability and compliance obligations. (Source: Just Style)

The Key Climate Issues to Watch in the Midterm Elections

Oct. 30: The midterms come as the U.S. has faced a slew of climate rollbacks under the first two years of the Trump Administration, including withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, rolling back the landmark endangerment finding, and leasing public lands for oil and gas drilling. With Democrats being significantly more likely to view climate action as a priority, many in the climate movement are hopeful that if the Democrats take back some leadership in Congress, as it could prove essential in helping to prevent further rollbacks. (Source: TIME)

Strike at Busiest U.S. Port Just Days Away as Talks Continue

Nov. 2: The Pacific Maritime Association and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 26 have signed a contract extension through 5 p.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday, Nov. 4, temporarily postponing a potential work stoppage at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach while negotiations continue. The two sides will continue bargaining with assistance from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. The agreement provides additional time for talks but does not resolve the underlying labor dispute. (Source: FreightWaves)

Trump Administration Will Cut South Africa and Rwanda from the AGOA Trade Program

Nov. 2: ... The trade deal under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, was introduced by former U.S. President Bill Clinton in 2000 to give some African nations duty-free access to the American market for some of their goods. Countries have to meet requirements to be members, like establishing a market-based economy, the rule of law, political pluralism and the right to due process while also eliminating barriers to U.S. trade and investment. Countries’ memberships are reviewed each year. More than 30 African nations are currently members of AGOA and view duty-free access to the U.S. market for some of their exports as a crucial economic boost. (Source: Associated Press)

AAFA Urges USTR to Ease Barriers for U.S. Apparel Firms

Oct. 31: The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has urged the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to address foreign trade barriers affecting US apparel, footwear and other sewn products companies, while calling for greater predictability in US tariff policy amid rising costs for the industry. In its October 29, 2026, submission to USTR’s 2027 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, AAFA identified trade and regulatory concerns in Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Japan and Mexico. (Source: Fibre2Fashion)

‘Superfakes’ Sold Online to Americans to Get Closer Look From U.S. Trade Officials

Oct. 29: ... The USTR’s Notorious Markets List, or NML, is typically aimed at foreign actors and marketplaces outside the US that undermine American businesses. But recently the USTR has been asked to take a closer look at US-based tech giants and their marketplaces, too. Last year, without officially adding them to the list, the USTR noted the increasing popularity of social media influencers who review, promote and share links to counterfeit luxury products, using platforms like TikTok, Facebook and Instagram. (Source: Bloomberg)

Retailers Cracked Down on In-Store Theft. Gift-Card Scammers Just Moved Online.

Oct. 28: ... The mock-website scam works like this: Fraudsters build look-alike websites that mirror those of legitimate brands. When shoppers go online to check a balance, their search takes them to a bogus page, rather than the web address provided with the plastic. (Source: Wall Street Journal)

Donald Trump Moves to Ban "AI": Full List of His Targeted Words

Oct. 27: President Donald Trump is officially banning the terms "AI" and "Artificial Intelligence," he said Tuesday, escalating his effort to rebrand the technology as "Super Intelligence," or "SI," across the executive branch. [...] The White House told Newsweek in an emailed statement Tuesday that the terminology change reflects the administration's push to emphasize the potential of the technology and U.S. leadership in the field. (Source: Newsweek)

West Coast port happenings and transportation updates: 

Last week, AAFA submitted comments to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) supporting the proposed two-month extension of the suspension of Section 301 maritime fees and related duties through January 9, 2027.

AAFA's Audrey Clark will be closely tracking updates to the potential ILWU Local 26 maritime security watchmen strike at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and communicating them to our Transportation Team. We encourage AAFA members to sign up for upcoming Shipping Roundtables on November 18 and December 16.

Member election impacts:

Election Day will give us the results. AAFA will help you understand what they mean for our industry. On November 23, AAFA members can join AAFA President and CEO Steve Lamar and the AAFA Policy Team for an in-depth look at key national and state-level election outcomes, their implications for the apparel and footwear industry and American consumers, and the policy priorities likely to take shape in 2027 and beyond.

Brand protection updates and upcoming meetings:

Last week, AAFA made a follow-up rebuttal submission to the European Commission’s Public Consultation on the 2027 Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List that identifies marketplaces and service providers that may fulfil the criteria to be included in the Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List for 2027.

Coming up, AAFA members will also have a chance to connect in D.C. during in-person brand protection meetings from November 16–18. The platform meeting is held on November 16, with Alibaba, Amazon, DHgate, Meta, Temu, TikTok, and TikTok Shop set to join.

Environmental advocacy and heat stress webinars: 

Last month, AAFA submitted comments to CalRecycle on SB 707 September Informal Rulemaking. To learn more about these comments, we encourage AAFA members to stay engaged with the AAFA Environmental Committee including our upcoming in-person meeting in Arlington, VA on November 19. There we'll reflect on the how the midterm elections results will shape state-level environmental policy and the future of textile EPR. For questions on how to get involved, please connect with Chelsea Murtha.

Coming up, AAFA is hosting two open-industry webinars on November 12 and December 2 focused on the AAFA Heat Stress Toolkit, a practical resource developed to help companies better understand, assess, and address heat-related risks in the workplace. For questions, reach out to Nate Herman.

Trade and customs advocacy: 

Continuing AAFA advocacy for a competitive trade environment, AAFA submitted comments to USTR for the 2027 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, highlighting significant challenges affecting the U.S. apparel, footwear, and travel goods industries. For further questions on these comments, please reach out to Audrey Clark.

AAFA members are also encouraged to join upcoming Trade and Customs Committee (TCC) meetings, including the in-person meeting in D.C. on November 9 and Lobby Day on November 10. Find additional key dates, resources, and FAQs at our Tariffs 101 hub or connect with Beth Hughes.

Congratulations, Marty Granoff :

The AAFA team would like to give a warm congratulations to Marty Granoff, former chairman of the American Apparel and Manufacturers Association (predecessor of AAFA) on completing the NYC Marathon at age 90 with his son and grandson! We encourage all to read more about this remarkable accomplishment on Michael Granoff’s Substack.

Member Welcome: Crystal International Group Limited

As a global apparel manufacturer, Crystal International has established itself as a sustainability pioneer. Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Hong Kong, the Group has a diverse product portfolio spanning six categories where the Group holds a leading position: Lifestyle wear, Denim, Intimate, Sportswear and outdoor apparel, Sweater, and Fabrics. We operate a multi-country manufacturing platform, with production facilities comprising garment factories and fabric mills spanning five countries: Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

We serve leading global brands through a highly differentiated “Co-creation” business model, offering value-added services and satisfying our customers through manufacturing excellence, accumulated expertise, superior quality, prompt service and advanced innovation. We aim to be the most profitable company in the industry, customer choice and employee choice. We maintain a keen focus on sustainability and are striving towards Crystal Sustainability Vision 2030 and Net Zero 2050 Vision.