Welcome to Off the Cuff, USFIA’s member newsletter that highlights innovation and creativity from USFIA members and Partners.
Thank You for Making Our Annual Conference A Success!
Thanks to everyone who joined us earlier this month at the Apparel Importers Trade & Transportation Conference, either in-person in New York City or virtually on our Conference livestream. Here is a brief photo recap of the day below (photo credit: Lorenzo Ciniglio Photography).
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After welcome remarks by FIT Dean Shannon Maher and Sr. Director & Associate General Counsel for America Eagle Outfitters and USFIA's Board Chair Chris Lucas, we began the day with our Policy Outlook panel, featuring USFIA’s Washington Counsel and Barnes & Thornburg Partner, David Spooner and USFIA’s Customs Consultant John Pellegrini.
Jennifer Knight, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles, Consumer Goods, Materials Industries, Critical Minerals and Metals at the Department of Commerce, and Natalie Hanson, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles, joined us for an update on the Biden Administration's plans for textile policy in 2024.
The highlight of the event was when Rob Silvers, Under Secretary for Policy at the Department of Homeland Security and Chair of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force, sat down with USFIA President Julie Hughes for a fireside chat about forced labor enforcement and how brands, retailers, and associations can connect with CBP and DHS on forced labor-related matters.
This year's Conference also featured an in-depth Roundtable on Forced Labor with Felicia Pullam, Executive Director of the Office of Trade Relations at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and experts representing USFIA's partners: (R-L) Maytee Pereira, PwC Customs and International Trade Co-Leader, Anne Marie Lacourse, Global Trade Industry Advisory at Sayari, and Erin Williamson, Senior Director of Customs Brokerage Product at GEODIS.
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(right) Kelly Pederson, who leads PwC's Retail Practice, shared an in-depth look at the retail landscape and PwC's Holiday Outlook.
(left) William Kimbrell, EVP and COO of Cotton Incorporated, discussed the State of Cotton, from market conditions to product sourcing.
Carlos Arias, President of VESTEX, invited attendees to visit Guatemala and see in person the many new investments in textiles and apparel operations. CAFTA sourcing has “grown up” during the past 18 years.
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Our Innovators for the Fashion Industry panel featured Fleetzero, USFIA's Corporate Social Responsibility Sponsor WRAP, KYG Trade, and VELA. These companies are working to advance the future of the apparel and textile supply chain.
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We finished off the day with a fascinating presentation from FIT's Cynda Media Lab. Professors CJ Yeh and Christie Chin highlighted how our 5 senses tie into marketing and consumer choices, and shared examples of Cynda Media Lab’s work, including the FITxNFL collaboration and a rebrand for Gund.
A big THANKS to CBP and the NISs for the Apparel Classification Workshop!
If you love talking about classification, then you probably joined USFIA at the 2023 Apparel Classification Workshop. This is an amazing pre-Conference event where the National Import Specialists welcome us to the World Trade Center for a few hours of reviewing samples and debating classification. Special thanks to Deborah Marinucci, Branch Chief, National Commodity Specialist Division, Regulations and Rulings in the Office of Trade at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the NISs who joined us in person and virtually.
Thank you also to Erin Williamson, Eileen Family, Ed Fitzgerald with GEODIS, who helped organize the event. And just in case you didn't know that CBP's mannequin is named Sally, she's the one in the pink shirt.
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Partner Updates
USFIA Premier Partner, PwC
Here is a fascinating case study from PwC about transformation at a U.S. textile company.
Valley Forge Fabrics: Weaving in cloud-based efficiency from quote to install
Valley Forge Fabrics (VFF) is a leading textile producer that has provided solutions to the hospitality and commercial industries for more than the last 50 years. When the company started to feel the effects of the pandemic, VFF seized upon the temporary slowdown as an opportunity to transform its operations system from front to back. With help from PwC, VFF built a quote-to-cash-to-make platform powered by Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O. The Azure-based cloud platform is complete with automations and data integrations to increase visibility, eliminate manual processes and accommodate growth.
USFIA Technology Partner, Sayari
One of the top concerns for USFIA members is managing threats of forced labor in the supply chain. Here are two resources that you should find useful:
Global Forced Labor Regulations Cheat Sheet
The UFLPA has inspired a host of new sister policies, including:
- The Australia Modern Slavery Act
- The Canada Modern Slavery Act
- The EU Forced Labor Ban
- The Germany Supply Chain Due Diligence Act
- The UK Modern Slavery Act
Each of these regulations can create disruptions in your supply chains. Download Sayari’s helpful guide that will assist you in staying on top of international regulations and ensure compliance across your trade policies.
Chinese Supply Chain Tip Sheet
Forced labor continues to threaten the supply chains of companies that rely on Chinese manufacturing. By downloading Sayari’s latest Tip Sheet, you’ll be able to:
- Map your supplier’s corporate network
- Identify indicators of forced labor
- Proactively mitigate forced labor risks
USFIA Innovation Partner, Material Exchange
Taking measures toward sustainability is critical in the world of fashion today. Knowing how to communicate those measures is almost just as important. Here at Material Exchange, we've been assessing how best to explain what fashion businesses are doing for the planet - and recently spoke with Ed Stoner, an independent consultant in sustainability messaging, on this very topic. Check out highlights from the conversation in our latest blog post here:
Valley Forge Fabrics: Weaving in cloud-based efficiency from quote to install
In Case You Missed It...
USFIA President Julie Hughes joined John R. Richards, Laura Rabinowitz, and Friederike S. Görgens from Greenberg Traurig on a panel about Hot Topics in a Post-Pandemic Supply Chain at the Luxury Law Summit in New York City on November 7th.
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Mitch Standen, Head of Operations at FibreTrace®, joined USFIA for a webinar discussing the partnership between FibreTrace® and SGS to support the global textile industry through traceability and third-party verification.
Calendar of Events
December 14 (Online): Join USFIA and the Canadian Apparel Federation as we host The Yearly WRAP-Up: What’s on the Horizon for Social Responsibility in 2024 with USFIA’s Corporate Social Responsibility Sponsor, WRAP.
December 15 (Online): Join USFIA and Dr. Sheng Lu for Exploring Evolving US Apparel Sourcing Trends and “Made in the USA” Sourcing Opportunities. Dr. Lu and his students at the University of Delaware will share the findings of three timely research projects addressing US fashion companies’ evolving apparel sourcing trends and “Made in the USA” sourcing opportunities, particularly those using recycled and organic textile materials.
January 9 (Online): USFIA's Members-only State of the Industry Town Hall. Begin the new year with the latest intelligence from USFIA Washington Counsel David Spooner and USFIA Customs Consultant John Pellegrini.
February 8, 2024 (In-person): Fashion Forward 2024 returns to the City Club of San Francisco. Register to attend here. Early bird pricing available through the end of the year.
Industry Events
CBP's Office of Trade Broker Management Branch is hosting a webinar on Friday, December 15 at 2pm eastern on 2024 Permit Annual User Fee and Triennial Status Report Filing. You can register to attend here. The webinar will cover the new procedure for e-payment of permit annual user fees and changes to TSR filing information.
Want to share what your company is doing? Email Stephanie Gauzens (