Interested in participating
in our next study?
Click here to join our outreach listThe United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) produces an annual Fashion Industry Benchmarking Study, in conjunction with Dr. Sheng Lu, Professor in the University of Delaware's Department of Fashion & Apparel Studies. This annual survey of executives from leading fashion brands, retailers, importers, and wholesalers covers the business outlook, sourcing practices, utilization of Free Trade Agreements and preference programs, and views on trade policy.
USFIA Fashion Industry Benchmarking Study for 2025
Coming this week! Register for the 2025 Benchmarking Study Webinar today.
We are pleased to release the 2025 Benchmarking Study to the public. Key findings from the report include:
- The top business challenges facing U.S. fashion companies center on the Trump Administration’s escalating tariff policy and its wide-ranging impacts on companies’ sourcing and business operations. In taking the #1 spot, this challenge rose from #5 in 2024 and #11 in 2023, showing the increasing concern over the last few years.
- 100% of respondents rated “Protectionist U.S. trade policies and related policy uncertainty, including the impact of the Trump tariffs” as one of their top business challenges in 2025.
- Over 70% of surveyed companies reported that the higher tariffs increased sourcing costs, squeezed profit margins, and led to higher consumer prices.
- Tariffs have been the most significant factor driving sourcing cost increases for U.S. fashion companies in 2025.
- Amid higher tariffs and policy uncertainty, about 65 percent of respondents feel optimistic about the next five years in 2025, a decline from 75 percent one year ago.
Higher tariffs have triggered ripple effects across supply chains.
U.S. fashion companies are actively exploring new sourcing opportunities, with a particular focus on emerging suppliers in Asia
