On a 31 October deadline, Just Style reports on recent natural disasters in Haiti and discusses HOPE/HELP program renewal:
Isatou Ndure| October 31, 2025
Julie Hughes, president of the US Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) tells Just Style she is very concerned about the impact of Hurricane Melissa on her colleagues in Haiti: “We know that there is major flooding and damage in key areas, but we do not yet have much information or a full assessment of the situation. We expect it could be several days before we know more.”
Hurricane adds to Haiti apparel sector’s ongoing trade uncertainty
The devastation adds a new strain to Haiti’s apparel sector as it was already grappling with the loss of key US trade benefits under the HOPE (Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act) and HELP (Haiti Economic Lift Program Act) schemes, which expired in September 2025.
The programmes had underpinned Haiti’s export-driven garment industry by granting duty-free access to the US market, so without them manufacturers face higher costs.