On August 21, 2013, 34 apparel companies, including many USA-ITA member companies, sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman “to urge the inclusion of a commercially meaningful rule of origin that promotes trade in apparel products under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.” The letter notes that a yarn-forward rule of origin is no longer effective to support the supply chains in the industry and calls for a more flexible rule of origin,  a more workable approach to short supply, as well as “the immediate elimination of the punitive taxes imposed on apparel imports (in the form of tariffs).”