September 25: ... Trump’s comments to the United Nations General Assembly follow his latest shot in a trade war with China, the world’s second-largest economy. (Source: CNBC)

September 24: The new round of tariffs on Chinese goods will have devastating effects on retail and consumers, Rick Helfenbein, president and CEO of retail trade group American Apparel & Footwear Association, told CNBC on Monday. (Source: CNBC)

September 24: ... The revised United States-Korea Trade Agreement includes steps to open up the Korean market to increased American exports, most notably for automobiles, and will allow the United States to continue imposing a 25 percent tariff on Korean trucks until 2041. But analysts said there are few fundamental changes to the existing agreement ... (Source: New York Times)

September 25: Scientists at the University of Notre Dame will begin an independent study of turnout gear worn by firefighters after initial samples tested positive for fluorine. ... Various forms of PFASs have been linked to prostate, kidney and testicular cancers, as well as thyroid disease and low birthweight. (Source: Phys.org)

September 24: As of 12:01 a.m. Monday, thousands of cargo containers stacked on ships bound for the U.S. and pallets of Chinese products loaded into the cargo holds of airplanes just got more expensive. ... Customs brokers said they were working overtime in the days leading up to the new tariff deadline, filing entry paperwork for shipments from China and hoping those electronic filings would be processed before the midnight cutoff. (Source: Wall Street Journal)

September 20: ... More than $400bn worth of goods likely to be made by forced labor enter the US market each year, said Annick Febrey, the director of government relations with the Human Trafficking Institute … She said the Department of Labor’s change in tone echoed Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda on international trade issues and could mean a more sustained effort to block forced labor-made goods from entering the country. (Source: The Guardian)

September 25: The most heavily counterfeited brand in South Korea? Louis Vuitton. (Source: The Fashion Law)

September 24: ... The items included counterfeit footwear, garments, handbags and mobile phone accessories. (Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

September 19: When President Trump threatens China with more tariffs, Lulu thinks of her commission checks and smiles. It’s a good time to work in the fake-handbag business. (Source: Washington Post)

$200 billion in tariffs now in effect: Yesterday the Trump administration initiated a 10% punitive tariff on $200 billion worth of U.S. imports from China. This was shortly followed by China’s retaliatory tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. exports. AAFA President and CEO Rick Helfenbein spoke to CNBC about the impact these moves will have on American businesses, American workers, and American consumers.

AAFA President and CEO Rick Helfenbein appeared on CNBC’s Power Lunch on Monday, Sept. 24 after new punitive tariffs took effect. He shared why tariffs are not funny - and not fun for American consumers, businesses, or jobs. Watch here.

Footwear Workshop this week: This Thursday, AAFA’s Senior Vice President of Supply Chain, Nate Herman, will be joined by industry colleagues from D K N Y, Mason Companies, New Balance Athletics, and more in Lawrence, MA — including keynote speaker Dave Wheeler, Executive Vice President, Value Chain at New Balance — for AAFA’s 2018 Footwear Workshop. Topics will include the hottest footwear sourcing markets; U.S. trade policy, tariffs, and international regulations; and a 2023 outlook.