The United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) has been pleased to provide exclusive, members-only resources on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement and what we can expect. USFIA members should login to keep reading.

On November 4, 2015, attendees at the 27th Annual Apparel Importers Trade & Transportation Conference in New York heard from a wide variety of government, legal, and industry speakers on current issues facing the industry. Hosted jointly by the U.S. Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) and the American Import Shippers Association (AISA), the one-day event highlighted lingering questions about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) as well as progress and growth through innovation and collaboration both in the supply chain around the globe and here in the United States.

By Jens Kastner

Julia K. Hughes, president of the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA), concedes that many in the US fashion industry are disappointed because they were looking forward to approval of the TPP by the US Congress during the "lame duck session" before Trump's inauguration in January...

"We are disappointed but not devastated because our members knew that zero tariffs would not have been in effect as soon as next year, meaning no one had done pricing or had placed orders based on TPP," Hughes explained.

Click here to read the entire article on the just-style website.

By Leonie Barrie

The United State Fashion Industry Association (USFIA), meanwhile, remains hopeful the TPP agreement will benefit the fashion industry.

"We understand the final agreement contains a yarn-forward rule of origin and limited short supply list, though we remain hopeful it also will include many opportunities for fashion brands, retailers, importers, and wholesalers to expand their global businesses," according to USFIA president Julia Hughes.

Click here to read the entire article on the just-style website.

By Ed Zwirn

International trade deals, particularly the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), may well fall by the wayside following the upset victory of Republican Donald Trump for the US presidency, participants at the 28th Apparel Importers Trade & Transportation Conference warned yesterday (9 November).

A realignment of power within the Republican majorities within the Senate and the House of Representatives may have a similar effect, they added at the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) organised event in New York City.

"A lot of folks were surprised by the outcome," Julia Hughes, president of USFIA, told a panel discussion the morning after the US election. "We can see we have our work cut out for us," she added. "We're going to be dealing with a lot of unknowns even with the continuation of a Republican Congress."

Click here to read the entire article on the just-style website.

By Ed Zwirn

"We're supportive of the United States re-entering TPP, but we're skeptical it can get done," says Julia Hughes, president of the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA). "Most of the countries in the TPP-11 say they want to implement that agreement before letting others in."

Click here to read the entire article on the just-style website.

By Ed Zwirn

The US clothing industry is benefitting from a sharp rebound in logistics following the end of last year's West Coast port dispute, along with optimism about the likely positive impact of the new Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal - a key meeting of the US Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) heard this week. 

Click here to read the entire article on the just-style website.

By Leonie Barrie

As Julia Hughes, president, United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) wrote on just-style earlier this year: "A growing number of Washington are saying that they think TPP will not be approved before we have a new US President and a new Congress--and that is cause for concern!"

Click here to read the entire article on the just-style website.

By Leonie Barrie

But US brands and retailers are awaiting more details, especially on its final yarn-forward provisions.

"I'm not sure that I would say we're celebrating, because there are some questions that we still have," says Julia Hughes, president of the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA).

"We understand the final agreement contains a yarn-forward rule of origin and limited short supply list, though we remain hopeful it also will include many opportunities for fashion brands, retailers, importers, and wholesalers to expand their global businesses."

Click here to read the entire article on the just-style website.

By Tara Donaldson

Julie Hughes, president of the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA): 

“TPP is going to remain the major topic of conversation for the fashion industry!

From the vantage point of Dec. 2015, it is hard to imagine that the US Congress will vote to approve the TPP during the 2016 election cycle. But anything can happen after the election during the lame duck session, so expect a lot of debate next year.”

Click here to read the entire article on the Sourcing Journal website.

By Tara Donaldson

Sourcing Journal caught up with three experts—Nicole Bivens Collinson, president of international trade and government relations for the Sandler, Travis and Rosenberg trade law firm, Julie Hughes, president of the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) and Matt Priest, President of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA)—to discuss TPP’s present status and what we can expect in the months ahead.

Click here to read the entire article on the Sourcing Journal website.

By Lyndsay McGregor

“The votes aren’t there,” David Spooner, partner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP in Washington, D.C., said Wednesday in New York City at the 28th Apparel Importers Trade and Transportation Conference. “Both [House Speaker] Paul Ryan and Senator Mitch McConnell say the votes aren’t there.”

Click here to read the entire article on the Sourcing Journal website.

By Catherine Salfino

The United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) did a study last fall prior to the presidential elections — and so prior to the U.S. abandoning the TPP agreement — that found 100 percent of respondents did some sourcing from China in 2016. Although 61.5 percent expected to reduce sourcing from China in the next two years, only 4 percent expected a strong decline. Additionally, all the respondents source textile and apparel products that contain inputs from multiple countries.

The USFIA study respondents use “China Plus Many” for their sourcing. According to the study, 77 percent say “Made in China” accounts for less than 50 percent of their company’s total sourcing value or volume.

Click here to read the entire article on The Sourcing Journal website.

By Lyndsay McGregor

Donald Trump’s unexpected success in the U.S. presidential election will cause chaos and uncertainty, but it may also present an opportunity for the American textiles and apparel industry.

That was the message to attendees at the 28th Apparel Importers Trade and Transportation Conference in New York City Wednesday, hosted by the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) and the American Import Shippers Association (AISA), the morning after the shocking result that sent global markets into a tailspin.

“I think there’s some opportunity in a Trump administration,” posited David Spooner, partner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP in Washington, D.C., and former chief textile and apparel negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). “Assuming chaos provides opportunities, and if Trump brings in new faces to USTR, it might give us an opportunity to do new things in trade. We’ve been screwed by the yarn-forward rule for decades. Maybe there’s an opportunity to do things, even if it’s around the margins.”

Click here to read the entire article on the Sourcing Journal website.

By Tara Donaldson

Now that the U.S. will officially add a 25 percent tariff on foreign steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum, the country could end up in an even worse position on trade. For one, the E.U. has threatened levying a 25 percent tariff on Levi’s jeans coming from the U.S.—and the region isn’t alone in its line of thinking.

“These tariffs aren’t quite as high as tariffs on the fashion industry, which can reach 32 percent on some products. However, we know these tariffs will be catastrophic for the U.S. economy and jobs,” the United States Fashion Industry Association said in a statement following the tariff announcement Thursday. “We’re not being partisan or subjective; it’s Trade Policy 101—and we can expect widespread net job loss in the United States as a result, according to early studies, not to mention regressive taxes on American consumers. This is not the way to support American companies and jobs, and definitely not the way to participate in the global economy.”

Click here to read the entire article on the Sourcing Journal website.

By Arthur Friedman

Vietnam’s apparel shipments to the U.S. grew 6.2% to $6.5 billion for the year through July, gaining 1.1% market share to represent 14.5% of U.S. apparel import market share so far this year.

Speaking at last month’s Sourcing at Magic show in Las Vegas, Sheng Lu, assistant professor for fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware, presented the results of a study he conducted with the U.S. Fashion Industry Association that showed Vietnam was the second most sourced country after China, with 88 percent of respondents saying they manufactured there.

Lu said the study showed that the most popular sourcing strategy right now is “China Plus Vietnam Plus Many,” meaning that global manufacturing is becoming more diversified. The country was rated as the most competitive supplier and one of the most balanced, with a combination of price and speed to market capability, he noted.

Click here to read the entire article on the Sourcing Journal website.

By Tara Donaldson

“Apparel imports continue to grow, even when overall imports are sluggish, so one could argue that that sends a message that Vietnam is going to remain strong as a destination for sourcing of apparel no matter what is happening with TPP,” Julie Hughes, president of the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA), said.

There has also been some shifting within Asian sourcing, and that seems to have helped Vietnam’s successes too.

Click here to read the entire article on the Sourcing Journal website.

By Tara Donaldson

“Sadly, both presidential candidates are talking about trade and the global economy as only a negative for America,” Julia K. Hughes, president of the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA), said. “And they are ignoring the fact that trade is good for American families—offering consumers greater choice and better prices. This leaves TPP in an unusual situation.”

The lame duck session remains an option, albeit not an easy one, though if the congressional leadership believes they have the votes, then there’s still a chance to settle the deal this year, Hughes said.

Click here to read the entire article on the Sourcing Journal website.

By Lyndsay McGregor

That question was posed to Bill Jackson, acting assistant U.S. trade representative (USTR) for textiles and apparel, by an audience member at a Sourcing at Magic seminar discussing the benefits and opportunities of TPP, hosted Tuesday by the U.S. Fashion Industry Association (USFIA).

Click here to read the entire article on the Sourcing Journal website.

Washington, D.C. - The TPP Apparel Coalition released the following statement today in advance of the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP):

The TPP Apparel Coalition applauds the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This ground-breaking trade agreement will join together consumers in the United States and 11 other TPP partners. Representing 40 percent of the world’s GDP, the TPP will help apparel brands and retailers reduce costs, enter new markets, and support trade-based jobs.

Today’s signing is an important step that sets the stage for ratification by each of the TPP countries. Timely ratification and seamless implementation is important so that our industry and the millions of American workers they employ can take advantage of the benefits of the TPP.

The TPP Apparel Coalition supports the TPP agreement and the provisions that generate new trade and investment opportunities for the benefit of workers, businesses, and families. These opportunities include buying and selling goods and services, sustaining and growing well-paying U.S jobs, and providing high added value for the U.S. and TPP economies.

For more information on the TPP Apparel Coalition, visit www.tppapparelcoalition.org. 

CONTACT: Samantha Sault, 202-419-0444 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..