April 1: ... The EU has been trying to kick start trade deliberations with the U.S. in a bid to show President Trump progress in enacting a political accord that he reached with Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in July. That agreement helped put on hold the American threat of tariffs on European cars and auto parts. (Source: Bloomberg)

March 29: ... Today, about 98 percent of shoes — almost all of the shoes we wear — are manufactured abroad, according to the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA). Roughly 70 percent of U.S. shoe imports come from China. (Source: TradeVistas)

March 28: ... There is concern across the board that the long-term effects of the tariffs and trade war with China will be devastating to apparel, as well as to many other U.S. industries. Supply chains and relationships that have taken years to forge and improve are being destroyed in far less time than they took to put together. “We’re damaging a supply chain was built to handle product safety, human rights, the environment, and sustainability,” and it’s being taken apart by the combination of actual tariffs and even more by the uncertainty of what is to come, said Rick Helfenbein, president and CEO of the AAFA. (Source: Apparel Magazine)

March 24: ... the pain is real, and the gains may be elusive. This is especially the case for our industry. ... So, what happens next? Here are several thoughts. (Source: The Brand Protection Professional via LinkedIn, op-ed by AAFA's Steve Lamar)

March 31: ... Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said on ABC News’s “This Week” that it would take “something dramatic” to persuade the president to abandon his border-closing plans. And Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway insisted on “Fox News Sunday” that the president’s threat “certainly isn’t a bluff.” (Source: Washington Post)

March 29: ... With the global appetite for high-end leather products only getting stronger, brands feel they need to take control of their supply chains to make sure they can produce enough goods—and bring new products to market faster to satisfy the fickle tastes of shoppers. (Source: Wall Street Journal)

March 29: A Mexican inventor has developed recyclable organic sports shoes made from old plastic bottles - with added seaweed ... Jorge Castro Ramos has been experimenting with making shoes out of old bottles for years, but recently hit on the idea of processing sargassum seaweed for the soles. (Source: BBC)

March 28: A survey of the public has found that 76 percent would be less likely to buy from a brand that is regularly associated with fake goods – showing once again how important it is for brand owners to tackle counterfeiting. (Source: Securing Industry)

March 28: AACA actions resulted in shutdown of 524 manufacturing and distribution locations. (Source: World Trademark Review)

March 25: ... Since China only acknowledges trademarks registered within its own jurisdiction, this is a key legal step for foreign companies. If the brand is well-established, it will most likely encounter trademark squatters, counterfeiters, or grey market suppliers. (Source: China Briefing)

Representing the apparel and footwear industry: AAFA President and CEO Rick Helfenbein spoke with the podcast One Question XYZ about the industry and the association's role as the political voice of apparel and footwear. Learn more about the AAFA, the industry's policy priorities, and the American Image Awards here.

New Product Safety Council chair! AAFA is excited to share that Jennie McCarthy, of DKNY, will chair the Product Safety Council (PSC). Jennie is a Senior Director of Vendor Compliance and has been a member of the council for more than 10 years. AAFA's Product Safety Council provides a forum for members to discuss and learn about regulations and issues related to product safety and chemical management.

Steve Lamar re-elected as President of WITA: Congratulations to AAFA's Executive Vice President Steve Lamar, who was re-elected as President of the Washington International Trade Association's (WITA) Board of Directors. Kudos to AAFA members Stephanie Lester (GAP) and Nicole Bivens Collinson (Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.) who were elected as Vice President and Treasurer respectively. WITA is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to providing a neutral forum in the nation’s capital for the open and robust discussion of international trade policy and related issues.

AAFA's Made in USA directory: Do you make products in the USA? Member companies are encouraged to update their profile in AAFA's Made in USA directory. Launched in 2014, the Made in USA directory has become an increasingly important tool as companies look to source more apparel, footwear, and accessories – and the inputs that go into those articles – in the United States. To add or update your company profile, contact Sarah Vincent.

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