USFIA’s Washington Counsel David Spooner, Partner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP and chief textile and apparel trade negotiator from 2002-2006, published an op-ed in WWD titled, “TPP Is A Good Thing and It’s About Time.” He states,

The TPP would eliminate tariffs and dramatically lower nontariff barriers between the U.S. and 12 Pacific Rim nations — from Japan, Vietnam and Australia in Asia, to Mexico and Canada closer to home. These countries account for a whopping 39 percent of the world’s gross domestic product. 

Yet, he adds, there is still a lot of work to do, especially for our industry:

As things stand, the provisions are so restrictive that, in the short term, knowledgeable brands and retailers are skeptical they will be of much benefit. Often, the TPP will require apparel producers to ship yarns and fabrics from the U.S. to places like Vietnam. Most alarmingly, the TPP’s apparel provisions may lack an amendment provision which would permit future governments to adapt the agreement to changing circumstances. The negotiations are not over, and there is still time to craft commercially meaningful apparel provisions. 

The full op-ed is available on the WWD website.