On September 12, 2018, the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined Americans for Free Trade, a multi-industry coalition aimed at opposing tariffs and highlighting the benefits of international trade to the U.S. economy. More than 80 organizations have already joined the new national coalition. More information is available at www.americansforfreetrade.com.
“The fashion industry is pleased to join with a wide range of industries and organizations across the country to fight the proposed tariffs, which will amount to an additional tax on consumers and limit consumer choices,” says USFIA President Julia K. Hughes. “As we said explained to the Trump Administration last week, the proposed additional 25% duties on consumer products will not achieve the stated goal of eliminating China’s troublesome intellectual property and technology transfer practices. Furthermore, the tariffs will harm American consumers at all income levels—from the single parent struggling to make ends meet as they purchase back-to-school necessities for their kids, to the consumer of high-end fashion manufactured in the United States, and every American family in between—by imposing a substantial regressive tax on basic household purchases of clothing, footwear, back-to-school items, and home goods.”
This new coalition will immediately join Farmers for Free Trade, the coalition backed by the nation’s largest ag commodity groups, in a multi-million-dollar national campaign called Tariffs Hurt the Heartland. The campaign will focus on telling the stories of the American businesses, farmers, workers, families, and consumers harmed by tariffs.
The campaign includes a geographically searchable map (TariffsHurt.com) that allows users to find stories of job losses, deferred investments, higher prices and other negative consequences for farmers and businesses in communities across the country impacted by tariffs.
Americans for Free Trade sent a letter to congressional leadership, as well.
