December 12: Depending on who you ask, the United States is either the 800-lb gorilla around which all the world’s moves should navigate, or the 800-lb gorilla that’s increasingly getting left out of feeding sessions. Either way, when it comes to the United States’ present position on trade, it isn’t much a matter of opinion—other countries are partnering on free trade more than the U.S. is. Addressing this fact in a webinar co-hosted with Sourcing Journal Monday, the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) pointed out that while there’s been a lot of "noise" from the Trump Administration about trade policy and trade deficits and making trade more beneficial for the U.S., little has materialized in a comprehensive way. (Source: Sourcing Journal - article unlocked)
*AAFA members can access the webinar recording via the AAFA Learning Center.
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December 11: The rush to finish the GOP tax overhaul has hit a snag as Republicans grapple with substantial differences between the House and Senate bills, and pause to consider unintended consequences of the most massive rewrite of the tax code in a generation. (Source: Los Angeles Times)
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December 11: President Donald Trump’s chief trade adviser issued his first detailed criticism of the World Trade Organization Monday, blasting the global commercial arbiter for "losing its essential focus" and becoming "a litigation-centered organization" that has failed to pay sufficient attention to enforcing existing rules. While U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer didn’t mention China by name, he made Beijing a clear target in his speech to fellow trade ministers of the 164-member body at its biannual meeting this week in Argentina. (Source: Wall Street Journal)
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December 12: A record-breaking surge in online purchases this holiday season is leading to delivery delays across the US. Unfortunately for last-minute shoppers, the delay problems are expected to get even worse in the final weeks leading up to Christmas, according to one airline pilot. (Source: Business Insider)
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December 10: The White House is preparing to roll out a long-delayed infrastructure rebuilding plan in January, as President Donald Trump’s advisers bet that voters want a $1 trillion road-and-bridge-building plan—even though it is opposed by some lawmakers. Mr. Trump’s advisers are putting finishing touches on a plan to direct federal spending of $200 billion or more—funds it would propose to offset with cuts elsewhere in the federal budget—to leverage hundreds of billions more from local governments and private investors ... (Source: Wall Street Journal)
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December 7: U.S. Army uniform officials will soon begin testing a new hot weather combat uniform that's designed to dry more than 30 percent faster than the current Army Combat Uniform. The Improved Hot Weather Combat Uniform, which features a lighter, more-breathable fabric than the current 50-50 Nylon-cotton blend, will be fielded to soldiers in the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii for testing in January, Capt. Daniel Ferenczy, assistant product manager for Environmental Clothing and Footwear at Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment, told reporters Thursday. (Source: Military.com)
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December 8: Over the years that I spent in China I can remember numerous occasions where I would be shopping for something on Taobao or another Chinese e-commerce site and have a Chinese friend look over my shoulder and ask if I’d like some help. This offer usually wasn’t negotiable, they were basically saying, "You’re a foreigner and don’t know how to shop online in China and it’s my responsibility to save you." More often than not, they were correct. ( Source: Forbes)
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December 8: Counterfeit traders using luxury brand names are openly selling goods on Facebook, BBC South East has learned. They have been flooding the social network's Marketplace site with fake products on such a scale that some even offer home delivery. (Source: BBC)
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In Brief
The envelope please ... announcing the 2018 American Image Awards honorees! We are pleased to announce the honorees for the 2018 AAFA American Image Awards: Manny Chirico, Chairman and CEO of PVH Corp. (Person of the Year); Camuto Group (Company of the Year); Fred Segal (Retailer of the Year); Joseph Altuzarra (Designer of the Year). Join the conversation using #AmericanImageAwards to honor their outstanding leadership. Gala tickets are available here.
See all of AAFA’s latest letters, comments, and testimony here.
Congress and government agencies solicit comments on a range of issues that may affect your business – find a list of comment opportunities here.
Member Welcome: Visionet Systems  Visionet Systems, Inc. is an independent software and IP solutions provider enabling the end-to-end digital transformation of industries in retail and commerce, supply chain and distribution, fashion and apparel, and consumer lending.
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Trade
