January 14: ... “We import about 6 percent of the goods by value in the United States and pay 51 percent of the tariffs that are collected, so when you say this is the year of the tariff, for us every year is the year of the tariff. This year is especially so,” said AAFA executive vice president Steve Lamar. (Source: Sourcing Journal)

January 11: Yahoo Finance's Adam Shapiro and Julie Hyman join American Apparel & Footwear Association CEO and President Rick Helfenbein. (Source: Yahoo Finance - click speaker for sound)

January 8: ... Steve Lamar, executive vice president of the American Apparel & Footwear Association notes that ... “If you’re a consumer and you’re judging the health of our manufacturing by what’s on the labels hanging in your closet you’re going to get the wrong picture because 70% of the value of an imported garment is attributed to U.S. value creation: the design, expertise, quality control, compliance, branding. All of that occurs in the U.S. Yet the label can only disclose where the end-stage final production occurs.” (Source: The Economist)

January 14: Four major clothing manufacturers have agreed to share their “screened chemistry” approaches to alternative chemistries, with the aim of supporting a unified approach to chemical management across the apparel and textile industry. (Source: Environmental Leader)

January 14: ... Service officials have begun testing four new prototypes to replace the current, standard issue combat boot for all Army personnel. The effort is designed to replace the current, standard-issue Army combat boot which has remained relatively unchanged since the 1991 Gulf War. (Source: Washington Times)

January 11: Rick Helfenbein of the American Apparel and Footwear Association discusses the [recent drop] in retail stocks. (Source: CNBC)

January 14: ... The landmark case centred on a shipment in April 2013 that was being transported from China to the Indonesian island of Batam, via Singapore. ... two containers inspected by Singapore customs officials were found to contain 436 cartons of Chinese-made counterfeit goods and fashion accessories estimated to be worth around $1m. The companies ... sued Megastar claiming the freight forwarder was liable for infringing their trademarks, but just over a year ago the company was found not liable after arguing it was just a middleman. (Source: Securing Industry)

January 14: ... International trademarks were once only necessary for large scale businesses and corporations. In today’s global marketplace, however, nearly any business, especially a business with online exposure, should consider filing for an international trademark. (Source: IP Watchdog)

January 13: ... The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office says the name appeared to be intended as a homonym for a vulgarity, and thus violates a federal law prohibiting “scandalous” trademarks. On that basis, PTO refused to register the trademark. (Source: Washington Times)

How will trade policy impact your business in 2019? AAFA Executive Vice President Steve Lamar speaks with Sourcing Journal’s Edward Hertzman in the second part of a series focused on trade and the apparel and footwear business. In this part of the series, Steve discusses the impact of the tariffs on other sourcing locations, and what companies can do to help mitigate the impact. Watch here, and don't miss last week's video with AAFA President and CEO Rick Helfenbein.

AAFA's Steve Lamar discusses trade with Sourcing Journal's Edward Hertzman. Watch here.

Recent trade news from AAFA: On January 9, AAFA signed onto an Americans for Free Trade coalition letter to the members of the 116th Congress outlining our shared concerns with the use of tariffs on U.S. imports from China. Meanwhile, AAFA also submitted comments to the U.S. Trade Representative regarding a potential trade agreement with the United Kingdom and requested to testify during public hearings prior to the initiation of formal negotiations.

AAFA opposes Massachusetts bill: On January 10, AAFA urged Governor Baker of Massachusetts to veto HB 5024, as it would undermine product safety for the state's citizens.

AAFA sessions in Las Vegas: AAFA will lead two sessions at the upcoming SOURCING AT MAGIC and FN PLATFORM in Las Vegas, on Tuesday February 5. Join us for:

1. E-commerce and The Real Deal (10:30 to 11:30 AM)
2. Trade Wars and Trade Deals (1:30 to 2:30 PM)

View session descriptions.

Internship opportunities: Know someone interested in interning with the AAFA team in Washington, D.C.? We are currently accepting internship applications for opportunities in AAFA’s Government Relations as well as Communications and Marketing departments.

See all of AAFA’s latest letters, comments, and testimony here.