September 4: The latest NAFTA talks are nearing conclusion without a major breakthrough or agreements on even the least-contentious topics, officials familiar with the negotiations say, fueling doubts among observers that a deal can be reached this year. (Source: Bloomberg)

September 5: ... The brick-and-mortar retail swoon has been accompanied by a less headline-grabbing e-commerce boom that has created more jobs in the U.S. than traditional stores have cut. Those jobs, in turn, pay better, because its workers are so much more productive. This demonstrates something routinely overlooked in the anxiety about the job-destroying potential of robots, artificial intelligence and other forms of automation. Throughout history, automation commonly creates more, and better-paying, jobs than it destroys. (Source: Wall Street Journal)

September 2: More ships sailed into the Houston Ship Channel on Friday in what will be a parade of vessels laden with crude oil, consumer goods and cruise passengers that have been unable to dock in a region devastated by Hurricane Harvey. The storm spared the ports of Houston, Galveston, Texas City and Freeport from significant damages, but sitting idle had its own costs for companies that depend on the waterway. (Source: Houston Chronicle)

September 1: Top advisers crafting President Donald Trump’s infrastructure plan say they aim to upend the way U.S. public works are financed, shifting the bulk of the decision-making and costs to states and cities and away from Washington. The administration is proposing $200 billion in new federal funding as the central piece of its $1 trillion plan to improve the nation’s infrastructure. (Source: Wall Street Journal)

September 4: An American resident has been arrested for his part in a "sophisticated scheme" to import around 200 shipping containers of fake brand-name apparel from China into the US. ... The four-year smuggling racket, which was described as an "elaborate criminal enterprise", allegedly looked to pocket millions of dollars from the sale of knock-off Nike sneakers, UGG boots, and National Football League athletic jerseys, among other merchandise. (Source: Securing Industry)

August 31: The protectability of colors has been a topic of conversation this week, as almost five years after the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Christian Louboutin does, in fact, have a valid trademark in "Chinese red" for use on the soles of shoes (as long as those shoes are not monochrome red), the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ("TTAB") has put an end to a two-year-long battle over the protectability of the color yellow. (Source: The Fashion Law)

August 31: A Congressional hearing on the theft of American intellectual property by the Chinese took place yesterday (Wednesday), not in Washington, D.C., but in Tallahassee, Florida. Two House members from Northwest Florida took testimony from two experts and one victim. (Source: WFSU Public Media)

In Brief

Hurricane Harvey disaster relief: The apparel and footwear community is coming together in support of those affected by Hurricane Harvey. Companies and individuals interested in assisting are encouraged to submit donations via Delivering Good, Soles4Souls, and/or Two Ten.

Committee Spotlight – Transportation Team: The Transportation Team follows issues such as ports, shipping, and logistics. Participants of the transportation list receive regular updates describing the actions of AAFA on transportation issues, as well as breaking news reports whenever necessary. The group also provides opportunities for AAFA members to provide their own input on important issues.

AAFA members actively serve on 11 committees, subcommittees, councils, and working groups. Members have the opportunity to provide thought leadership, share best practices, and address challenges through active participation. Committees meet by conference call, in person 2-3 times a year, and send out regular updates on issues. To join a committee, please contact membership@aafaglobal.org.

Member Welcome: Ghim Li

Ghim Li is a global textile and apparel supply chain manager of casual lifestyle knitwear apparel to major U.S. retailers. We supply over 62 million garments a year through our global marketing and manufacturing network. We offer you a total solution package with an integrated one-stop service approach, from in-house product design and development, commercialization of orders, material management, production planning and control, to comprehensive post manufacturing logistics solutions.

September September 7 Webinar: Color Boot Camp September 20 Webinar: A Practical Guide to Chemical Management September 26-27 AAFA Board of Directors Meeting September 26 Webinar: What's in YOUR Brand? Visit our events calendar for all AAFA webinars and industry events.

The AAFA Footwear Workshop agenda is now available. Join us Oct. 4!