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January 9, 2018

Newsletter at-a-glance

Along with industry news highlights across Supply Chain, Trade, and Brand Protection, this week we would like to call your attention to an op-ed by AAFA's Steve Lamar on global value chains, an upcoming member-only webinar on tax reform (see event for Feb. 1), and the news that Jim VandeHei of Axios will present at the AAFA Executive Summit!

Trade

White House Preparing for Trade Crackdown

January 7: President Donald Trump’s administration is preparing to unveil an aggressive trade crackdown in the coming weeks that is likely to include new tariffs aimed at countering China’s and other economic competitors’ alleged unfair trade practices, according to three administration officials. (Source: Politico)

US, South Korea Begin Talks to Amend Trade Deal

January 5: Top U.S. and South Korean trade officials on Friday wrapped up their first meeting to discuss improving the trade agreement between the two nations. (Source: The Hill)

NAFTA and the Audience of One

January issue: When Members of Congress hear that we are visiting to advocate for a commercially viable North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), they interrupt us and say, "You had me at hello." The second thing we usually hear is "I support NAFTA. What can I do to help?" (Source: Fashion Mannuscript, op-ed by AAFA's Steve Lamar)

Supply Chain

Why Airfreight Traffic is Up: Dog Food and Semiconductors are Vying for Space

January 9: Air cargo shipments are soaring due to surging demand for rapid delivery of everything from smartphones to paper towels. (Source: Wall Street Journal)

Three Port Truck Companies Exploited Drivers, L.A. City Attorney Says in Lawsuits

January 8: Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer sued three port trucking companies Monday, alleging the firms exploit their drivers by misclassifying them as independent contractors ... . (Source: Los Angeles Times)

Who is in Your Global Value Chain?

January 1: ... Global value chains go deeper and wider than global supply chains, and include the many workers whose often unseen contributions are critical to bringing a product to market. (Source: PPB Magazine, op-ed by AAFA's Steve Lamar)

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Brand Protection

Your Amazon Order Could Get You in Trouble With Customs

January 8: Amazon’s counterfeit problem is well documented, but it’s easy to forget the myriad ways in which it can become your problem, too. (Source: Racked)

This Sneaker-Selling Startup is Trying to Stomp Out Fakes

January 5: Even the best counterfeit sneakers have their tells. ... To list a pair of shoes, a seller sends in seven standardized photos. GOAT will try to authenticate that they're real, using machine learning to do a first pass on the photos and comparing them to an image database of real and fake versions. Once a listing is up, buyers bid on shoes, similar to eBay. But instead of shipping them directly, the seller sends them to GOAT's headquarters where experts inspect each pair. They use microscopic technology to look at the shoes, weigh them and check things like the fonts. (Source: CNN)

AAFA News

In Brief

Urging Congressional approval of Outdoor Act: On January 2, AAFA sent a letter to the Senate sponsors of the Outdoor Act (S. 1719) to urge its swift enactment to lower duties on outdoor apparel and support research programs for the industry. This important piece of legislation will help lower business costs for companies across the United States that produce or sell recreational performance apparel. Learn more.

AAFA joins forces with partner organizations to support GSP and infrastructure: AAFA joined several hundred trade associations and companies, including many AAFA members, in a January 4 letter to Congressional leadership, urging the quick renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. AAFA also signed onto a January 3 letter to Congressional leadership with more than 100 other associations representing all sectors of the economy, encouraging the passage of a comprehensive infrastructure package in 2018.

Meet the Government Contracts Committee - and join us in Savannah this spring! Each year, AAFA’s Government Contracts Committee (GCC) Meeting allows apparel and footwear manufacturers, along with their textile and trim suppliers, to hear directly from government procurement officers and policy makers. It also provides a forum to discuss the Berry Amendment and share feedback on how policies impact their "Made in USA" supply chains. This year the group will convene April 30-May 2 in Savannah, GA with keynote speaker Lieutenant General Darrell K. Williams and a special tour of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, SC! Learn more about the Committee here and register for the meeting here.

Did you know AAFA maintains a list of members with U.S. manufacturing capabilities? See our Made in USA Directory.

Know a great intern candidate? AAFA is offering fantastic, hands-on internship opportunities this spring and summer in our Government Relations and Communications & Marketing departments. Looking for incredibly organized, ambitious, creative thinkers! Apply here.

Awards awarded! We are pleased to announce a 2017 MarCom Award for AAFA’s American Image Awards! The MarCom award celebrates elevating the legacy industry gala and infusing renewed excitement with celebrity participation, focused social media, and press outreach. The American Image Awards, about to celebrate its 40th year, honors those who have exemplified leadership, excellence, and outstanding achievement in all sectors of the apparel and footwear industry, including education, design, manufacturing, and retail. Congratulations to our friends at The Bromley Group for this award! AAFA will present the next American Image Awards on Monday, April 16, 2018 in NYC.

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.

AAFA Events

January & February

Feb. 1 Webinar: Decoding the New Tax Code

Feb. 7 Social Responsibility Committee Meeting

Feb. 7 Environmental Committee Meeting

Feb. 8 Product Safety Seminar

Feb. 28 Board of Directors Meeting and Capitol Hill Visit

Feb. 28 - March 2 AAFA Executive Summit

Visit our events calendar for all AAFA webinars and industry events.

Just Announced: Jim VandeHei of Axios to provide insight on politics, policy, and navigating today's media madness. #AAFASummit18

Other Industry Events

PGA Show - Performance Textile Fair
January 24-26 | Orlando, FL
AAFA President and CEO Rick Helfenbein will keynote the PGA Show’s Performance Textile Fair on January 24th with his session Trade & Your Business: Is D.C. A "Swamp" or a Sand Trap?

FN Platform and SOURCING at MAGIC
February 12-14 | Las Vegas, NV
AAFA will lead two sessions on February 12 in Las Vegas - one covering anti-counterfeiting and one about how U.S. global value chains can shape U.S. trade policy.

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