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2012 Annual Report
United States Association of Importers of Textiles & Apparel
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The United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA) was established in January 1989 by nine companies with a vision to create a unified voice for textile and apparel importers across the country. USA-ITA provides education, information, and advocacy to executives active in textile and apparel sourcing, importing, compliance, and logistics. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., USA-ITA represents the needs of American retailers, brands and importers, as well as related service providers, with the objective to remove bar-riers to business and to trade.
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Table of Contents
Message from the USA-ITA Chairman 4
Advocacy 6KeyAdvocacyMeetingsin2012 7KeyAdvocacyEffortsin2012 8USA-ITACommittees 10
Events 11USA-ITAWestCoastSeminar 1124thAnnualTextile&ApparelImporterConference 12OtherUSA-ITAEvents 14SOURCINGatMAGIC 16OtherIndustryEvents 18
Outreach & Activities 20IndustryOutreach 20BoardofDirectors 22Communications 24InternationalOutreach 25
Photo Album 26
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Message from the USA-ITA Chairman
Theyeargotofftoawhirlwindstart.Atthiswriting,it’snotevenFebruaryyetwe’vealreadyparticipatedinabrief-ingbytheU.S.DepartmentofCommerceandtheOfficeoftheU.S.TradeRepresentativeontheTrans-PacificPartnershipapparelproposal,hostedseminarsonbrandprotectionandretailinginChina,metwithdelegationsofoursourcingpartnersinMexicoandEgypt,and,ofcourse,finallyhostedourre-scheduledconference,whichwasasmashingsuccess.I’dliketorecapouraccomplishmentsin2012.
Asourmissionisremovingbarrierstobusinessandtrade,we’vetakenaleadroleinimportanttrademeetings,particularlytheTPPnegotiations,withUSA-ITAleadershipandmembercompaniestravelingtoDallas,SanDi-ego,Leesburg,andinDecember,Auckland,toparticipateinmeetingswithnegotiatorsandstakeholdersfromtheTPPmembercountries.We’llcontinuetoleadthewayforourindustryinthesenegotiationsuntilthereisanapparelprovisionthatworksforourindustry.
InAugust,weagainworkedwiththeU.S.DepartmentofCommercetoorganizeeventsatSOURCINGatMAGICinLasVegasfocusingonsourcingintheAmericas,andparticularly,theUnitedStates.Administrationofficials,includingUnderSecretaryof InternationalTradeFranciscoSanchez,whospokeat theconference,andU.S.brandsandretailershadafrankdialogueaboutopportunitiesandchallengestosourcinginthisregion,andwe’relookingforwardtocontinuingthediscussiontodayandthroughouttheyear.
We’veworkedwithmanyothertextileandapparelorganizationsacrosstheglobetopromotesourcingopportuni-tiesforourmembers.Wemetwithmanyofourpartners—includingMexico,CentralAmerica,Egypt,India,andChina—inJanuary,andhaveplanstomeetwithothersthroughouttheyear,especiallyatSOURCINGatMAGICinFebruary.We’reespeciallyproudthatouradvocacyeffortsoverthepastyearhaveledtomoreopportunities,includingthepassageoftheFreeTradeAgreementswithKorea,Colombia,andPanama;thepassageoftheCAFTAtechnicalfixes;andtheextensionoftheAfricanGrowth&OpportunityAct,whichisimportantnotonlytoU.S.companiesbutalsotoeconomicprosperityinAfrica.
Finally,andperhapsespeciallyimportantly,wecontinuetoparticipateincoalitionsthatnotonlyhelpourmembercompaniesdobetterbusiness,butalsohelptheworldbeabetterplace.We’vesignedlettersandtakenanac-tiveroleinhumanrightsandsustainabilityissues,includingchildlaborinUzbekistan,mulesingintheAustralianwoolindustry,andparticularlyimportantrightnow,laborrightsinBangladesh.
Onehighlight in this realmwasourwebinar onhowcompanies can source compliantly inBangladesh.Weco-hostedthiswebinarwithWorldwideResponsibleAccreditedProduction(WRAP),anAssociateMemberofUSA-ITA,whichprovidesfiresafetytrainingandotherimportantinitiativesinfactoriesacrosstheglobe,andthiswebinarprovidedimportantinformationandanopportunityfordialoguebetweenU.S.companies,factoriesinBangladesh,andotherstakeholders.USA-ITAmembercompaniesarecommittedtosourcingcompliantly,andUSA-ITAiscommittedtoprovidingtoolstodoso.
I’mproudtobechairmanofUSA-ITAforanothertermbecause,asyoucansee,we’remakingadifferenceforourindustry.Ifyou’vebeenlookingfortherighttimetogetmoreinvolvedinUSA-ITA,thetimeisnow.It’sgoingtobeabusy,excitingyear,andIlookforwardtohavingallUSA-ITAmembersandaffiliatesbeapartofit.
Sincerely,
Maureen Gray, Vice President of International Trade for Ralph Lauren Corporation & Chairman of USA-ITA
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USA-ITA Chairman Maureen Gray gives opening remarks at the 24th Annual Textile & Apparel Importer Trade & Transportation Conference in January 2013.
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Advocacy
ThepastfewyearshavebeensignificantforUSA-ITAandourmissionofbeingthevoiceofourmembersinWashington,D.C.In2010,wemovedourheadquartersfromNewYorktoWashington,D.C.,tobeclosertothepolicymakerswhoaffectourindustry.In2011,wejumpedrightintobeginutilizingourpositionintheheartoftheactionandinformthosepolicymakersabouttheimportanceofcontinuingtoremovebarrierstobusinessandtrade.In2012,webuiltuponpastpolicyadvocacysuccessestoseemeaningfulchangeforourindustryandmembers.Thankstodirectlobbying,formalandinformalmeetings,letters,comments,andmedia,aswellastheinsightofourdedicatedlegalcounsel,wewereabletoaddmanymorepolicyadvocacysuccessestoouralreadylonglistofachievements.
Asweapproachour25thanniversaryin2013,weareproudofourrecentaccomplishmentsandconfidentthatwe’llseemanymoreintheyearstocome.
After touring Ralph Lauren Corporation’s headquarters in Manhattan, representatives from the U.S. Department of Com-merce enjoyed lunch with USA-ITA leadership, counsel, and members in June 2012. L to R: David Spooner, USA-ITA Washington Counsel with Squire Sanders; Kim Glas, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles & Apparel at Commerce;
Julia K. Hughes, President of USA-ITA; Francisco Sánchez, Under Secretary of International Trade at Commerce; Maureen Gray, Vice President of International Trade at Ralph Lauren Corporation and Chairman of USA-ITA.
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OurpositionintheheartofWashington,D.C.,providesaccesstothekeypolicymakerswhoaffectourindustry.We’veworkedhardtobuildstrongrelationshipswiththeseplayers,andbecausetheyknowus,theylistentousandtrustus.Belowisasamplingofthehigh-level,face-to-faceadvocacymeetingsbetweenUSA-ITAandpolicymakersthroughout2012:
February: USA-ITAhostedourannualWestCoastSeminarinSanFrancisco,whichfeaturedakeynotebyU.S. Customs & Border Protection’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard DiNucci.Theattendees,whichincludedmembercompanyexecutivesandlegalcounsel,engagedinlivelyconversationwiththeDACDiNucciandotherU.S.Customsofficialspresentatthemeeting.
March:USA-ITAandRalphLaurenCorporationhostedtheU.S.DepartmentofCommerce’sInternationalTradeAdministrationinNewYorktoshowhowpolicydecisionsdirectlyaffectcompanies’sourcingdecisions.Under Secretary of International Trade Francisco Sánchez,Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles & Apparel Kim Glas,andothersontheirteamtouredRalphLauren’sheadquarters.Withdozensofexamplesofjeansonhand,RalphLauren’stradeandsourcingteamsexplainedindetailhowtheymaketheirdecisions—andhowthosedecisionsaffectAmericanconsumers.Afterthetour,wehostedtheCommerceteamforlunchatSquireSanders’office,whereUSA-ITAmembercompanyexecutivesengagedtheminafrankdialogue.Weknowitwaseffective—UnderSecretarySánchezstilltalksabouttheday!
June:USA-ITAPresidentJuliaK.HughesattendedabreakfastwithDeputy U.S. Trade Representative Deme-trios Marantis,aspartofanAmChamKoreadelegationtriptoWashington.ThebreakfastfeaturedadiscussiononbusinessengagementintheimplementationoftheU.S.-KoreaFreeTradeAgreement.
July:USA-ITAPresidentJuliaK.HughesattendedanelitemeetingoftheWhiteHouseBusinessCouncilintheWhiteHouse’sRooseveltRoom,attheinvitationofUnderSecretarySánchez.WhilePresidentObamadidn’tmakeanappearance,White House Chief of Staff Jack Lewdid,alongwithAri Matusiak, Executive Direc-tor of the White House Business Council;Alan Krueger, Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors;andSteven VanRoekel, U.S. Chief Information Officer.Theattendees—whoincludedtheCEOsofUnivision,VirginGalactic,andRosettaStone,amongothers—discussedtopicsincludingeconomictrendsandwaystodrivegrowththroughinnovation.
September: USA-ITAhostedawebinarwithAssistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles & Apparel Gail Strickler andU.S. Customs & Border Protection trade expert Natalie Hansontodiscusstextiletradeagree-mentsandotherduty-freeprograms.Thewebinarprovidedanopportunityfordialogueabouthowtomaketheseprogramsworkbetterforourmembers.
November:USA-ITAPresident JuliaK.Hughesparticipated inU.S. Customs & Border Protection’s East Coast Trade Symposium.JoiningthepanelontheCentersforExcellence&Expertise,HughesspokeabouttheenthusiasticsupportfromtheindustryfortheApparel,FootwearandTextilesCEE.
Ongoing: USA-ITA frequentlysitsat the tableduringbriefings for stakeholderswith theTrans-PacificPart-nership’schiefnegotiator for theUnitedStates,Barbara Weisel, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.Inthesemeetings,we’reabletovoiceouropinionsandconcernswiththeTPPnegotiations.
Key Advocacy Meetings in 2012
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Key Advocacy Efforts in 2012
In2012,USA-ITAwasinvolvedinanumberofadvocacyeffortsonkeyissuesforourmembers.Thehighlightsoftheyeararebelow,andyoucanfindevenmoreinformationatwww.usaita.com.
Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations. USA-ITAcontinuedtofocusontheTrans-PacificPartnershipnego-tiationsandensuringthatthefinalagreementwillworkforourindustry.USA-ITAleadershipandmembercom-paniestraveledtoDallas,SanDiego,Leesburg,andevenAucklandtoparticipateinmeetingswithnegotiatorsandstakeholdersfromtheTPPmembercountries.InadditiontoparticipatinginnumerousdiscussionswithkeyAdministrationandcongressionalcontactsatourmeetingsandevents,wealsojoinedtheVietnameseapparelindustryinsendingajointlettertoU.S.andVietnamesenegotiatorsurgingthemtorecognizetheimportanceofglobalvaluechainstothecompetitivenessoftheU.S.andVietnameseapparelindustries.Weremainactivelyinvolved incoalitions, includingtheTPPApparelCoalition, thatadvocateforaflexible, liberal,high-standard,21stcenturyagreement.
USA-ITA Board Member Pam Hunter, Vice President of Sourcing for J.C. Penney Purchasing Corporation (left), and Sandra Fallgatter, Director of Trade Compliance for J.C. Penney Purchasing Corporation, chat with Assistant U.S. Trade
Representative for Trade Policy & Economics Doug Bell at the TPP negotiations in Leesburg in September.
Centers for Excellence & Expertise. U.S.Customs&BorderProtection’sCentersforExcellence&Expertise(CEEs),andparticularlytheCEEforApparel,Footwear,&Textiles,wasanothertoppriorityforourmembers.USA-ITAwasactivewiththeIndustryWorkingGroupfortheCEE,whichprovidedrecommendationstoCBPonhowtheCEEshouldwork,whereitshouldbelocated,etc.,andourmembersparticipatedinanindustrysurveytoprovidespecificrecommendations.Throughouttheyear,wemetwithnumerousCBPofficials,includingAs-sistantCommissionerAlGina,DeputyAssistantCommissionerRichardDiNucciandActingExecutiveDirectorofTradePolicy&ProgramsJohnLeonard,aswellastheleadershipofourindustry’sCEE,todiscusstheprogressandourviews.CBPacceptedourrecommendationtolocatetheCEEinSanFrancisco.
Free Trade Agreements with Korea, Colombia, & Panama. Wewerepleased to seeourefforts from thepreviousyearpayoffwhentheFreeTradeAgreementswithKorea,Colombia,andPanamawentintoeffect.Inadditiontohostingwebinarstoeducatemembersonhowtotakeadvantageoftheagreements,wealsomet
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withAdministrationofficialsandindustryrepresentativesfromtherespectivecountriestodiscussfurtheroppor-tunitiestoremovebarrierstotrade,includingcumulationbetweenexistingtradeagreementswhereappropriate.
CAFTA-DR Fixes. Inadditiontocallingfornewtradeagreements,wealsocalledforchangestoexistingonestomakethemworkbetterforourindustry.WecalledonCongresstoimplementtheCAFTA-DR“fixes,”thenon-controversialtechnicalcorrectionsandmodificationstotheagreement’stextileandapparelrulesoforiginprovi-sionsandsignedalettertoCongressionalleadershipcallingforthepassageofthelegislation.ThefixespassedinAugustandwentintoeffectinOctober.
African Growth & Opportunity Act. WewereveryconcernedwhentheAfricanGrowth&OpportunityAct’s(AGOA)Third-CountryFabricProvisionwasscheduledtoexpirein2012,threeyearsbeforetheentireagree-mentwouldexpirein2015.WesentnumerousletterstoCongressionalleadershipurgingtheextensionoftheprovision,whichisessentialnotonlytojobgrowthinAfricancountriesbutalsotoproductionofquality,affordableclothingforAmericanfamilies.InAugust,theextensionwaspassedandsignedintolaw.Weremaincommittedtoensuringthattheagreementisnowextendedbeyondthecurrent2015expirationdate.
Bangladesh & Labor. BangladeshisoneofthelargestsuppliersofappareltotheUnitedStates,Canada,andtheEuropeanUnion.WestronglysupportBangladesh’sapparelsector,andmanymembercompaniessourcethereorwouldliketosourcetherebecauseofthequality,cost-competitivegarmentsavailable—butwehavetoaddresstheongoinglaborissues.WehavebeenoutspokenontheneedforBangladeshindustry,Bangladeshgovernment,andU.S.importerstosupportgoodlaborpractices.InApril,wesignedalettertoBangladeshPrimeMinisterSheikhHasinaWazedrequestinganinvestigationintothedeathofmurderedlaborrightsleaderAminulIslam.AndinJune,weco-hostedawebinarwithWorldwideResponsibleAccreditedProduction(WRAP),whichprovidedinformationforU.S.brandsandretailersaswellasBangladeshimanufacturersonhowtosupportgoodlaborpractices.
Uzbekistan & Labor. WeremainedactivelyinvolvedinbringingthechildandforcedlaborinUzbekistan’scottonindustrytotheattentionoftheObamaAdministration,particularlybyjoiningtheCottonCampaigninsendingalettertoSecretaryofStateHillaryClintonexpressingconcernthattheU.S.failedtodowngradeUzbekistanintheTraffickinginPersonsreport.
Mulesing. WecontinuedtojoinfellowindustryassociationsandbusinessesincallingfortheAustralianwoolindustrytofindalternativestomulesingandimplementthosealternativesassoonaspossible.Aspartofouref-forts,wemetwiththeAustralianwoolindustryassociationanddistributedinformationtoournetworks.
Imports Work for America Week. InMay,wejoinedanumberofindustryorganizationsinsponsoringImportsWorkforAmericaWeek,highlightingtheimportanceofimportstoU.S.jobsandtheeconomy.Throughouttheweek,wedistributedinformationonournetworkstoemphasizethefactthattheseimportsnotonlycreatejobsathome,butalsohelpAmericanfamiliesbyprovidingmoreaffordablenecessitieslikeclothing.
Port Security. Lateintheyear,weworkedtomakesurethatportstrikesdidnotaffecttheindustrybyurgingtheinvolvedpartiestoreturntothenegotiatingtable.InadditiontoparticipatinginmeetingswiththeDepartmentofTreasurytovoiceourconcerns,wesignednumerousletterstothepartiesontheEastandWestCoasturgingthemtonegotiate,aswellasletterstoPresidentBarackObamaurgingtheAdministrationtogetinvolved.Wewillremainengagedonthisimportantissue.
Key Advocacy Efforts in 2012
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USA-ITA Committees
USA-ITAoffersseveralopportunitiesformemberstogetmoreinvolved,includingourcommittees.Thesecom-mitteesallowmemberstosharetheirexpertiseandensurethatUSA-ITAmakesthebestpolicyrecommenda-tionspossible.
Cotton Board Advisory CommitteeTheCottonBoardAdvisoryCommitteeoffersrecommendationsfornomineestoserveontheCottonBoardtoensure thatbrands, retailers,and importersarewell-represented.Whennecessary, theCommitteealsodis-cussespoliciesandproceduresfortheimplementationoftheCottonResearchandPromotionProgram.In2012,anumberofUSA-ITAmembersservedontheCottonBoard,includingMicharLLC’sJohnClark,whoservedasthechairman,aswellasrepresentativesfromAmericanEagleOutfitters,AvonProducts,BuhlerQualityYarns,J.C.Penney,Kohl’sDepartmentStores,LeviStrauss&Co.,LimitedBrands,Nordstrom,PacificSunwear,PVHCorp.,QuiksilverAmericasInc.,RalphLaurenCorporation,andTheChildren’sPlaceRetailStores.AssociateMemberSGSalsoservesasconsumeradvisortotheCottonBoard.
USA-ITA Vice Chair John Clark, Vice President of Michar LLC, introduces Cotton University and The Cotton Board at the 24th Annual Textile & Apparel Importer Conference.
Customs CommitteeTheCustomsCommitteeworkswithCustomsCounselJohnPellegrinitoprovideadviceandrecommendationsontechnical issuesrelatedtothesupplychain,security,andall issuescontrolledbyU.S.Customs&BorderProtection.In2012,theCommitteefocusedontheTrans-PacificPartnershipnegotiations,theCentersforEx-cellence&Expertise,theMerchandiseProcessingFee(MPF)andentries,andT2PCS,thejointindustrypilotprogramproposalfortargetingsuspiciouspreferenceprogramshipments.
Trade Policy CommitteeTheTradePolicyCommitteeprovidesadviceandrecommendationsforourpositionsontradepolicy,aswellasapprovesourparticipationinindustrycoalitionsandotheractivities.In2012,theCommitteefocusedtheTrans-PacificPartnershipnegotiations,therenewaloftheAfricanGrowth&OpportunityActThird-CountryFabricProvi-sion,intellectualpropertyenforcement,andtheportstrikesattheendoftheyear.
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WithsomanymemberslocatedontheWestCoast,thean-nualWestCoastSeminarprovidesanimportantopportunityforexecutivestogetup-to-dateonpolicydecisions.
OnFebruary16th,wehosted theeventat theLeviStrauss&Co.headquarters inSanFrancisco,California. ItwasourmostsuccessfulWestCoastSeminar todate,withover50attendeesandanumberofhigh-levelspeakers.
Theeventnotonlyprovidedanopportunity for importers tohearabouttopicsrangingfromtheTrans-PacificPartnershipRule ofOrigin debate to the business case for sustainableproduct design, but also provided an opportunity for frankdialoguebetweencompaniesandthepolicymakers,particu-larlythosefromU.S.Customs&BorderProtection.Aftertheevent,attendeesenjoyedperusingtheLeviStrauss&Co.on-sitestoreandseeinghowthosepoliciesleadtohip,stylish,sociallyresponsibleclothes.
U.S. Customs & Border Protection Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard DiNucci in San Francisco.
Thespeakersincluded:
• DeputyAssistantCommissionerRichardDiNucciatU.S.Customs&BorderProtection• AssistantU.S.TradeRepresentativeforTextilesGailStrickler• JulieEngelbertson,SupervisoryImportSpecialistatthePortofSanFrancisco• JonFee,PartneratAlston&BirdLLP• ElizabethKing,VicePresidentofImporterRelationsforTheCottonBoard• MarkMessura,SeniorVicePresidentofGlobalSupplyChainMarketingatCottonIncorporated• JohnPellegrini,USA-ITACustomsCounselatMcGuireWoodsLLP• WonSokYun,DirectorGeneralandChiefTradeCommissionerfortheKoreaTrade-InvestmentPromotion
AgencyLosAngeles• DavidSpooner,USA-ITAWashingtonCounselatSquireSanders• BrianWhitters,DVPofSustainabilityatSGS
USA-ITA West Coast Seminar
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24th Annual Textile & Apparel Importer Conference
The24thAnnualTextile&ApparelImporterTrade&TransportationConferencetechnicallytookplacein2013duetoHurricaneSandy,butwithmonthsofpreparationsfortheeventin2012,wethinkitexemplifiesthesuc-cessofourorganizationover thepastyear.Wewerepleased toco-host thiseventagainwith theAmericanImportShippersAssociation(AISA),whichcelebratedits25thanniversary.
Followingtheintroductions,theconferenceopenedwithanoverviewofthetransportationlandscapefortheyearanditsprojectedimpactontheindustrybyGene Seroka, President of the Americas for APL Limited.
The first panel, The Trade Policy Outlook for 2013,featuredKim Glas, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles & Apparel at the U.S. Department of Com-merce, andDavid Spooner, USA-ITA Washington Counsel at Squire Sanders.ThediscussionfocusedprimarilyontheTrans-PacificPartnership(TPP)nego-tiations,butalsotouchedontheAdministration’sworkon a variety of other trade issues andwhatwe canexpectfromthenewAdministrationandCongress.
Commerce’s Kim Glas and USA-ITA Washington Counsel David Spooner have a laugh during the trade policy panel.
Afteraninformativepanelcoveringthetransportationlandscapefor2013atkeyindustryports,weenjoyedlunchandkeynoteremarksbyU.S. Customs & Bor-der Protection Assistant Commissioner Al Gina.HeprovidedanentertainingoverviewofCBP’s tradetransformationeffortsandtheCEEforApparel,Foot-wear,andTextiles,andansweredanumberofques-tionsfromattendees.
U.S. Customs & Border Protection Assistant Commissioner Al Gina
AfteranintroductiontoCottonUniversitybyElizabeth King, Vice President of Importer Relations for The Cot-ton Board,theafternoonturnedtoregulatoryissues.Consumer Products Safety Commissioner Nancy Nord providedakeynotethatcoveredtheConsumerProductSafetyImprovementAct(CPSIA)andotherenforcementefforts.ShewasfollowedbyapaneldiscussionfeaturingJohn Leonard, Acting Executive Director for Trade Policy & Programs at CBP,andJon Fee, Partner at Alston & Bird LLP,moderatedbyUSA-ITA Customs Counsel John Pellegrini of McGuireWoods LLP.ThediscussioncoveredtopicsincludingtheCEEs,informalentry,theendofthesanctionsagainstBurma,andtheForeignCorruptPracticesAct(FCPA).
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The afternoon closed with an in-depth discussionon sourcing. U.S. Department of Commerce Un-der Secretary of International Trade Francisco Sánchez provided a keynote that emphasized hiscommitmenttohelpingAmericanbusinessescompeteandsucceedintheglobalmarketplace.
Commerce’s Kim Glas, USA-ITA President Julia K. Hughes, & Under Secretary Sánchez.
Hewas followedbyapaneldiscussiononsourcingopportunitiesandchallenges, featuringanumberofourmember organizations. Luis de la Calle, Honorary Chairman of MEXiCO FiTS, anAssociate MemberandPlatinumSponsor,beganwithanexplanationofsourcing opportunities in Mexico and the economiclandscape there. Then, Damon Paling, Partner at PwC Shanghai,talkedaboutissuesinChina,andspe-cificallyretailinginChina.Finally,theafternoonclosedwithanupliftingdiscussionwithadelegationofEgyp-tians and Israelis from theQIZ, includingMohamed Kassem, Chairman of the Egypt Ready-Made Gar-ments Export Council,Gabby Bar, Co-Chairman of the QIZ Joint Committee for Israel,andAmin Sabry Abdel Meguid, Co-Chairman of the QIZ Joint Com-mittee for Egypt. The group discussed the politicalsituationintheregionandencouragedallofuswiththeircloserelationshipandwillingnesstoworktogethertomaketheQIZsuccessful.
Aftertheconference,attendeesconvenedintheexhibithall for a champagne toast toAISA’s25thanniversaryandanopportunitytochatwithoursponsorsandexhibi-tors.
Hubert Wiesenmaier, Executive Director of AISA, and Julia K. Hughes, President of USA-ITA, make a toast .
24th Annual Textile & Apparel Importer Conference
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Other USA-ITA Events
Inadditiontoourtwomajorevents,wehostedanumberofseminars,webinars,andothereventsthroughouttheyear.Highlightsinclude:
How CAFTA-DR Duty-Free Opportunities Support Apparel Sourcing StrategiesInApril,USA-ITAandVESTEX,Guatemala’stextileandapparelindustryassociation,hostedabreakfastinNewYork,whichfeaturedacandiddiscussionwithkeyindustryplayersfromtheCAFTAregion,includingrepresenta-tivesfromtheU.S.DepartmentofCommerce,theGuatemalaMinistryofEconomy,andregional industryas-sociations.
Sourcing in Southeast Asia 2012 & BeyondInJune,USA-ITAandtheSourceASEANFull-Service Alliance (SAFSA), an As-sociate Member, hosted a breakfastseminarinNewYorkfeaturingspeakersfromTigerTrade,theU.S.-ASEANBusi-ness Council, and of course, USA-ITAand SAFSA. With an increased focuson Southeast Asia, the seminar cameatakeymomentdue to the impendingTrans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), SAVEAct,andtradeliberalizationinBurma.
L to R: TigerTrade’s Tanjila Islam, USA-ITA’s Julia K. Hughes, SAFSA’s Michael Blakeley, US-ASEAN Business Council’s Frances Zwenig, and USA-ITA Washing-ton Counsel David Spooner in New York. (Credit: TigerTrade)
View from the Ground: Challenges & Solutions for Sourcing & Compliance in BangladeshInJune,USA-ITAandWorldwideResponsibleAccreditedProduction(WRAP),anAssociateMember,hostedawebinartodiscussopportunitiesinBangladeshandhowcompaniescansourcecompliantlythere,withapar-ticularfocusonfiresafetytraining.Withover100individualsfromtheUnitedStatesandBangladeshonthecall,itwasourmostpopularwebinartodate.
How U.S. Companies Can Address Argentina’s Import RestrictionsInAugust,USA-ITAandSquireSandershostedawebinarexplaininghowcompaniescanaddressArgentina’simportmeasuresbyutilizingArgentinedomesticlaw,withaguestspeakerfromalawfirminBuenosAires.
CAFTA-DR Fixes: What Companies Need to KnowInSeptember,Alston&BirdPartnerJonFee,anAssociateMember,explainedtheCAFTA-DRfixesandwhatcompaniesneedtoknowtomakeuseofthemwhensourcingfromtheregion.
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FTZ for Textile/Apparel/Footwear Distribution: Fear of the Unknown?InOctober,USA-ITAandSandler,Travis&Rosenberg,anAssociateMember,hostedawebinarexplaininghowcompaniescanevaluatetheForeign-TradeZonesavingspotentialandthenactivateandmanageoperationsinone.
From Best Practices to Regulatory Compliance InOctober,USA-ITAandVandegriftForwardingCompany,anAssociateMember,hostedawebinardiscussingthecurrentandfuturestateoftradepreferencecompliance,withademonstrationofVandegrift’sgroundbreakingsoftware.
Conflict Minerals Rule for Apparel ImportersInNovember,USA-ITAandSquireSandershostedawebinarexplainingtheSecurities&ExchangeCommis-sion’sconflictmineralsrule,andhowapparelimporterscanaddressit.
USA-ITA events allow our members’ voices to be heard--such as during our lunch meeting with the U.S. Department of Commerce in March. L to R: USA-ITA’s Julia K. Hughes, New York & Company’s Mat Gluckson, J.C. Penney’s Pam
Hunter, and American Eagle Outfitters’ Lisa Martin.
Other USA-ITA Events
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SOURCING at MAGIC
In2012,USA-ITAagainsupportedSOURCINGatMAGIC,thelargest,mostcomprehensivesourcingtradeshowinNorthAmericathattakesplaceeveryFebruaryandAugustinLasVegas.Duringtheshow,USA-ITAhostsaboothintheSourcingResourcesCenter,whichprovidesanopportunitytonetwork.Inaddition,wehostseminarsfeaturingU.S.governmentofficialsandmembercompanyexperts.
InFebruary,USA-ITAPresidentJuliaK.Hughesmoderatedtwoseminars.Thefirst,titledSourcing’sNewIssues,featuredrepresentativesfromUSA-ITAmembercompaniesDisneyThemeParks&ResortsandJ.C.Penney.Thesecond,coveringtheFreeTradeAgreementsandothertradenegotiations,featuredrepresentativesfromUSA-ITAmembercompaniesAlston&Bird,LeviStrauss&Co.,and theKoreaTrade-InvestmentPromotionAgency(KOTRA).
USA-ITA members spoke during a panel at SOURCING at MAGIC. L to R: Won Sok Yun, Director General of Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) Los Angeles; Jon Fee, Partner at Alston & Bird; Helga Ying, Senior Di-rector of Worldwide Government Affairs & Public Policy at Levi Strauss & Co.; and Julia K. Hughes, President of USA-ITA.
Kris Arabia, Director of Merchandise Sourcing & Technical Design for Disney Theme Parks
& Resorts, and Pam Hunter, Vice President of Sourcing at J.C. Penney Purchasing Corpora-
tion, spoke during a panel at SOURCING at MAGIC.
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InAugust,SOURCINGatMAGICfocusedonsourcingopportunitiesintheWesternHemisphere,includingtheUnitedStates,theCAFTA-DRregion,andColombia,andUSA-ITAwasagainactivelyinvolvedintheplanningandevents.Theweekkickedoffwithabreakfastforsourcingexecutives,includingnumerousUSA-ITAmem-bers,and industryrepresentatives featuringakeynotebyLosAngelesMayorAntonioVillaraigosa.FollowingbreakfastweretwoseminarsfocusingonMadeintheAmericasandMadeintheUSA.Hughesmoderatedtheseseminars,andspeakersincluded:• UnderSecretaryofInternationalTradeFranciscoSánchezoftheU.S.DepartmentofCommerce• DeputyAssistantSecretaryofTextiles&ApparelKimGlasoftheU.S.DepartmentofCommerce• LosAngelesMayorAntonioVillaraigosa• RepresentativesfromU.S.brands,retailers,andimporters
Left: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spoke during a session moderated by USA-ITA President Julia K. Hughes.
Below: Karin de Leon, Executive Director of CECATEC-DR, visits the USA-ITA booth in the Sourcing Resources Center in August.
SOURCING at MAGIC
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Other Industry Events
In2012,USA-ITAwasactivelyinvolvedinotherindustryevents.Highlightsinclude:
SAFSA Member MeetingInMarch,USA-ITAPresidentJuliaK.HughesandrepresentativesfromRalphLaurenCorporationattendedthefirstSourceASEANFull-ServiceAlliance(SAFSA)membermeetinginHongKong.
Prime Source ForumInMarch,USA-ITAsupportedPrimeSourceForum,ahigh-levelmeetingoftheglobaltextileandapparelindustryinHongKong.USA-ITAPresidentJuliaK.HughesmoderatedapaneldiscussiononglobalizationofretailanditsimpactontheglobalsupplychainwithcompaniesincludingAveryDennison,PwCShanghai,andSAFSA.
Texprocess AmericasInApril,USA-ITAsupportedTexprocessAmericas,asewn-productsandequipmenttradeshowinAtlanta.USA-ITAPresidentJuliaK.HugheschairedtheInternationalTradeUpdateSession,whichfeatureddiscussionswiththeOfficeoftheU.S.TradeRepresentative,U.S.Customs&BorderProtection,andindustryleadersfromBrazil,Colombia,Mexico,andNicaragua.
Guatemala Apparel Sourcing ShowInMay,USA-ITAleadershipandmembercompaniesattendedtheGuatemalaApparelSourcingShow,whichfocusedontheentireCAFTA-DRregion.USA-ITAPresidentJuliaK.Hughesmoderatedanumberofsessionsandspeakersincludedrep-resentativesfromAlston&Bird,J.C.PenneyPurchasingCor-poration,andPVH.
Ken Mangone, Executive Vice President of Brand Management, De-sign, & Sourcing for J.C. Penney & USA-ITA Board Member, spoke during dinner at the Guatemala Apparel Sourcing Show.
Texworld USAInJuly,USA-ITAsupportedTexworldUSA,afabricandapparelsourcingshowinNewYork.USA-ITAPresidentJuliaK.Hughesmoderatedasessiontitled,“EverythingYouWantedtoKnowAboutCAFTA,NAFTA,AGOA,HOPE,Etc.ButDidn’tKnowWhotoAsk!”ThesessionfeaturedGailStrickler,AssistantU.S.TradeRepresenta-tiveforTextiles,andNatalieHanson,InternationalTradeSpecialistattheU.S.Customs&BorderProtectionTex-tilePolicyBranch.TheseminarseriesalsofeaturedUSA-ITAmembercompaniesincludingtheKoreaTrade-In-vestmentPromotionAgency(KOTRA),TigerTrade,andWorldwideResponsibleAccreditedProduction(WRAP).
WITA Awards DinnerInJuly,USA-ITAPresidentJuliaK.HughesattendedtheWashingtonInternationalTradeAssociation(WITA)An-nualAwardsDinner,whichfeaturedakeynotefromU.S.TradeRepresentativeRonKirk.
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The Trans-Pacific Partnership & the Future of International TradeInAugust,USA-ITAattendedabriefingattheWoodrowWilsonCenterforInternationalTradeinWashington,D.C.,whichfeaturedakeynotefromDeputyU.S.TradeRepresentativeAmbassadorDemetriosMarantis.
Freedom House Annual Awards DinnerInSeptember,USA-ITA leadershipandrepresentatives fromLeviStrauss&Co.attendedtheFreedomHouseAnnualAwardsDinnerattheNewseuminWashington,D.C.LeviStrauss&Co.washon-oredforitscommitmenttofreedomandhumanrights.
Panama: Business Gateway to the AmericasInOctober,USA-ITAattendedaneventonthebusinessandtradeoutlookinPanama,sponsoredbytheU.S.ChamberofCommerceandtheAmericanChamberofCommerceandIndustryofPanama.
Colombia INEXMODA Fashion System Strategy ForumInOctober,USA-ITAPresidentJuliaK.Hughesgaveapresentationat the INEXMODAFashionSystemStrategyForum inColombia,whereshetalkedaboutopportunitiesforColombiaintheWesternHemisphereapparelsector.
Levi Strauss & Co.’s Helga Ying, Senior Director of Worldwide Government Affairs & Public Policy, and Amy Leonard wearing their blue jeans at the Freedom House event.
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles Gail Strickler, USA-ITA President Julia K. Hughes, and U.S. Customs & Border Protection Interna-tional Trade Specialist Natalie Hanson at Texworld USA in July.
Other Industry Events
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Industry Outreach
USA-ITA represents the interests of brands, retailers, import-ers, service providers, and suppliers before theU.S.Govern-mentandtheinternationalbusinesscommunity—andouractivemembers include thesecompanies’decisionmakers insourc-ing,compliance,logistics,andotherdepartments.
Thoughourfocusremainsadvocacyontheissuesimportanttoourmembercompanies,wehavealsobroadenedourscopetomakemembershipbotheducationalandenjoyableforthecom-panies’executives.
From learning new skills at our dozens of seminars and we-binars, to providing content for our events and publications,tonetworkingwithcolleaguesatoureventsaround theworld,USA-ITAmembershavenumerouswaystogetinvolvedintheindustryandweareconstantlyseekingmore.
In 2012, we ramped up our marketing activities. Did you see our new signs at MAGIC or the conference?
InFebruary,wewelcomedhonorsstudentsfromtheFashionInstituteofTechnology(FIT)Depart-mentof InternationalRelations toWashington,D.C.ThestudentsmetwithUSA-ITAleadershipaswellas theU.S.DepartmentofCommerce,U.S.Customs&BorderProtection,andvariousembassiestoconductresearchonworkingwithU.S. cotton under various Free Trade Agree-ments.
Weareexcitedtocontinueworkingwiththenextgeneration of USA-ITA members in 2013 andbeyond!
FIT students in one of their meetings.
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Andit’sclearthatwe’redoingsomethingright!Basedonour2012membersurvey,members’satisfactionwithourorganizationandbenefitsincreasednearly10percentagepoints!
2011 Satisfaction:
2012 Satisfaction:
Industry Outreach
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Board of Directors
TheUSA-ITABoardofDirectorsmakesdecisionsonbothactivitiesandpolicypositionsfortheassociation.In2012,theBoardincludedsourcingandcomplianceexecutivesfromtheleadingAmericanretailers,brands,andimportersoftextilesandapparel,including:• AmericanEagleOutfitters• AvonProducts,Inc.• GoldenTouchImports,Inc.• J.CrewGroup• J.C.PenneyPurchasingCorporation• Kohl’sDepartmentStores• LeviStrauss&Co.• Macy’sMerchandisingGroup• MastGlobalFashions• MicharLLC• NewYork&Company• Nordstrom,Inc.• PacificSunwearofCalifornia• QuiksilverAmericas,Inc.• RalphLaurenCorporation• TheChildren’sPlaceRetailStores,Inc.• TheJonesGroup• URBN,Inc.• Warnaco,Inc.
Above: Board members Lisa Martin, Director of Trade & Regulatory Compliance for American Eagle Outfitters, and Sonja Chapman, Director of International Traffic & Customs Compliance for Golden Touch Imports, in April.
USA-ITA Customs Counsel John Pellegrini of McGuireWoods LLP and USA-ITA Board Secretary & Membership Chair Janet Ydavoy of The Jones Group were some of the USA-ITA leadership who presented at the annual conference.
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TheBoardmetinAprilandJulyinWashington,D.C.,andinNovemberinNewYork.InadditiontodiscussingassociationactivitiesandadvocacystrategieswithUSA-ITAstaffandcounsel,theBoardmetwithanumberofgovernmentandindustryrepresentatives,including:• AlGina,AssistantCommissioneratU.S.Customs&BorderProtection• KimGlas,DeputyAssistantSecretaryforTextiles&ApparelattheU.S.DepartmentofCommerce• JohnLeonard,DirectorofTextile&Enforcement(andnowActingExecutiveDirectorofTradePolicy&Pro-
grams)atU.S.Customs&BorderProtection• TomOveracker,SupervisoryNationalAccountManager&ProjectManagerfortheCentersofExcellence&
ExpertiseatU.S.Customs&BorderProtection• AlpanaRoy,EconomicCounselorattheEmbassyofSingapore• PaulRyberg,PresidentoftheAfricanCoalitionforTrade&PrincipalatRyberg&Smith• GailStrickler,AssistantU.S.TradeRepresentativeforTextiles&Apparel• DaoTranNhan,MinisterCounselorofTradeattheEmbassyofVietnam
InJuly,theBoardalsovisitedtheU.S.Securities&ExchangeCommissioninWashingtontodiscusstheSEC’sconflictmineralsrulewithrepresentativesfromtheOfficeofRulemakingDivisionofCorporateFinanceincludingChiefFeliciaKung,SeniorSpecialCounselStevenHearne,andSpecialCounselJohnFieldsend.
U.S. Customs & Border Protection’s Assistant Commissioner Al Gina and Acting Executive Director of Trade Policy & Programs John Leonard spoke to the Board in April.
Board of Directors
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Communications
Amajorbenefitof joiningUSA-ITAisaccesstoourcommunications,whichincludeexpertanalysisonissuesaffectingthetextileandapparelimportingcommunity.InJune2011,USA-ITAbeganimplementingourfirst-evercommunicationsstrategy,andin2012,weworkedtonotonlyprovidebettercommunicationsforourmembersbutalsoreachthewiderindustryandmedia.Highlightsinclude:
Mobile Application: In2012,welaunchedourmobileapplication,whichprovidesourmemberseasyaccesstoourpublicationsandothercommunications,advocacymaterials,socialmediachannels,calendarofevents,andmorefromsmartphonesandotherdevices.
Election Update: InOctober,wepublishedourfirst-everElectionUpdate,acomprehensivepublication thatincludedanoverviewofthepresidentialcontenders,ananalysisofkeyCongressionalracesbyUSA-ITAWash-ingtonCounselDavidSpooneraswellas theDemocraticCongressionalCampaignCommittee (DCCC)andNationalRepublicanCongressionalCommittee(NRCC),andoriginalcontentfromleadingtradeexpertsonbothsidesoftheaislefromtheHeritageFoundationandProgressiveEconomy.Wealsohadourownstrawpoll,whichcorrectlypredictedtheelectionoutcome!
Media Outreach: In2012,weexpandedourmediaoutreacheffortstogetcoverageinpublicationsincludingAmericanShipper,CaliforniaApparelNews,Fibre2Fashion,JustStyle,MAGICOnline,theNewYorkTimes,theTriadBusinessJournal,andWomen’sWearDaily.
Magazine-Style Content: In 2012, we expanded ourdigitalcontenttoincludemorefrequentnewsletterswithexclusivemagazine-stylecontentonawiderangeof is-sues important to our members. This content includesour popular “Ask the Experts” section featuring ques-tionsfrommembersontradeandcustomstopics,aswellas analysis by member company experts, coverage ofWashingtonpolicyeventsandindustrytradeshows,andevenFashionWeekinLondonandHongKong.
We got a first look at USA-ITA member Pringle of Scotland’s Spring 2013 collection during London Fashion Week in
September!
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Inrepresentingtheinterestsofourmembers,weconductsignificantoutreachtointernationalgovernmentsandindustryorganizationstoensurethatourtradingpartners’policiesworkforourmembers,too.
OurInternationalAffiliatesprogramenablesinternationalsupplierstoconnectwithUSA-ITAandourmembersandreceivespeciallytailoredcommunicationsthatprovideupdatesonthepoliticalandeconomicenvironmentintheUnitedStates.InJanuary,wemetwithoneofouraffiliatecompanies,EsquelGroupinHongKong,andlearnedthattheaffiliatesvalueourcommunicationstobetterunderstandthedirectionoftradepolicyandtheviewsofindustryleaders.
In addition to receiving communications, our affiliatedinternationalorganizationsalsohavetheopportunitytonetworkwithUSA-ITAsourcingexecutivesandpresentinformationtoourmembers.In2012,weworkedclose-lywith theKoreaTrade-InvestmentPromotionAgency(KOTRA),MEXiCOFiTS, and theEgyptReady-MadeGarments Export Council (RMGEC), among others.These organizations provided speakers at our eventsandcontentforourpublications,andMEXiCOFiTSwasaplatinumsponsorandpresenteratourannualconfer-ence.
Mariam Yitani, Director of MEXiCO FiTS, at the conference exhibition hall.
AsmanyofourmembersaresourcingorwouldliketosourcemorefromEgypt,wealsofocusedonprovidingupdatesonthepost-revolutionpoliticalandbusinesscli-matethere.RMGECprovidedfrequentupdatesforourpublications,andweco-hostedtwoluncheventstostim-ulatediscussionbetweenEgyptianindustryrepresenta-tivesandU.S.sourcingexecutives.InJanuary2012,theluncheventfeaturedDr.MahmoudEisa,Egypt’sMinis-terofIndustryandForeignTrade,andGailStrickler,As-sistantU.S.TradeRepresentativeforTextiles,aswellasanumberofUSA-ITAmembercompanies.Andayearlater,followingtheannualconference,alunchfeaturedadelegationofbothEgyptianandIsraeliQIZrepresent-atives,who joined together to show their commitmenttotheQIZandincreasingtradeintheregion.WelookforwardtocontinuingtoworkwiththeEgyptianindustryandsupportthecountry.
RMGEC Chairman Mohamed Kassem spoke during the annual conference.
International Outreach
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Photo Album
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Photo Album
Thanks to our members for another great year!
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United States Association of Importers of Textiles & Apparel
1140 Connecticut Avenue, NWSuite 950
Washington, D.C., 20036202-419-0444
@USAITAwww.facebook.com/textilesandapparel
