May 20: ... Footwear tariffs tend to be among the most regressive,” said Nate Herman, senior vice president of supply chain at the American Apparel & Footwear Association. “The lowest-priced shoes — children’s fabric tennis shoes you’d find at Walmart — have the highest tariffs, while higher-end men’s leather dress shoes are taxed a lot less,” about 8.5 percent. (Source: ETF Trends)

May 20: ... The moves by Canada and Mexico come three days after President Trump struck a deal to exempt both trading partners from U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. (Source: The Hill)

May 19: ... But if the talks fail and the new tariffs go into effect, it would be “catastrophic for the nation’s economy,” Rick Helfenbein, president of the American Apparel & Footwear Assn., said in a statement last week. His association joined a dozen other trade groups ... in recently urging the administration to avoid tariff hikes. (Source: Los Angeles Times)

May 16: ... The White House said it was appropriate to terminate Turkey’s eligibility to participate in the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, based on its level of economic development. The decision is effective May 17, it added. (Source: Reuters)

May 16: Tufts University engineers have developed dyed threads that change hues when exposed to carbon monoxide and other hazards. (Source: Smithsonian Magazine)

May 15: ... Outdoor clothing makers were the first to champion sustainability, according to Nate Herman, vice president of the supply chain at the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA). “Now, it’s spread to pretty much every part of the industry,” Herman said. “They’ve learned ways to reuse their product. But there’s no easy answer when it comes to recycling clothes.” One recent obstacle for U.S. recycling, as a whole, has been China’s restriction on imports of American recyclable materials. (Source: Marketplace)

May 15: ... The American Apparel & Footwear Association posted its government relations representative Kristen Kern’s testimony Wednesday ... Their recommendation was for the council to “reconsider this legislation, which will limit consumer choice, kill jobs, and hurt New York City’s economy.” (Source: WWD - login required)

May 15: ... France wants brands from around the world to commit to progress on issues including ocean health, biodiversity and climate change during this summer’s Group of Seven summit in Biarritz. Specific targets could include eliminating disposable plastics within three years or converting to renewable energy sources by 2030. (Source: Bloomberg)

May 21: ... The stores are run by Supreme Italia, a legal business, which has used legal loopholes to successfully run a counterfeit business off the back of the Supreme New York brand. Supreme Italia owns the rights to sell Supreme branded products in China, which the official Supreme brand does not own. (Source: The Drum)

May 14: ... Counterfeiters do more than defraud consumers and steal from legitimate businesses, the GAO warns. In many cases, these bogus products pose serious safety hazards. (Source: NBC News)

May 10: ... The Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition report calls for policymakers to enact legislation to end the incorporation of anonymous shell companies to make it harder for criminals to launder their profits and escape detection. (Source: Securing Industry)

Trade War update: AAFA members can receive the latest updates on the trade war with China via the recording of yesterday's Member-Only Webinar: The China Tariffs and What Comes Next, which is now available for download in the AAFA Learning Center (login required).

As discussed during the webinar, there are three ways for the industry to defend itself against the imposition of punitive tariffs on imports of clothes and shoes:

1) Testify in Washington: The deadline to submit a request to testify is June 10. AAFA encourages all member companies to testify and share their story regarding the tariffs and how they would impact business, jobs, and prices for consumers. Members with questions can reach out to Steve Lamar and Nate Herman.

2) Reach out to the Administration and your Members of Congress: A pre-drafted letter is available in the AAFA Legislative Action Center.

3) Share your story with the press: Members looking to be connected with press can reach out to AAFA's Alex Gibson.

Recent testimony: On April 15, AAFA testified in opposition to a proposed New York City fur ban. Separately, AAFA testified in opposition to new tariffs proposed by the Trump administration on imports from the European Union to resolve an unrelated aircraft subsidies dispute; this testimony provided by AAFA’s Nate Herman was also on behalf of the Accessories Council, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), and the Travel Goods Association (TGA).

AAFA's Kristen Kern discusses the negative impacts of a potential ban on fur apparel in NYC. Watch now.

Last week in Virginia Beach: Last week, AAFA hosted our annual Government Contracts Committee (GCC) Meeting in Virginia Beach, along with an incredible aircraft carrier tour at Norfolk Naval Station. For questions about how to get involved with the GCC, contact Christina Mitropoulos.

GCC members on the USS Harry S. Truman

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