The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) welcomed the release of “Imports Work for America,” a study by Trade Partnership Worldwide, LLC, that measures the comprehensive net effect of imports on the U.S. economy.
In addition to being supported by AAFA, the “Imports Work for America” study was also sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the National Retail Federation (NRF), and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
“Most Americans don’t realize it takes more than four million U.S. workers to help them get dressed each day,” said AAFA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “This new study by the Trade Partnership is a valuable study that will help us educate policy makers and the public about the positive impact of imports for U.S. jobs and our economy.”
Imports Work for U.S. Jobs
In 2012, Americans purchased nearly 20 billion garments and more than two billion pairs of shoes. More than 98 percent of those shoes and 97 percent of those clothes were produced internationally and imported into the United States. Those imports support more than four million U.S. apparel and footwear industry jobs.
These four million import-dependent jobs include industry executives, textile mill workers, sourcing managers, corporate social responsibility and compliance professionals, wholesalers, retail floor associates, technical designers, and marketing professionals, and more.
The industry also supports countless other U.S. industries, like the more than 37,000 transportation jobs it requires to move products from the port to the sales floor and the 235,000 dry cleaning jobs required to maintain and protect the industry’s quality product.
Imports Work for American Families
Because of imports, American families continue to spend even less of their family budgets on apparel and footwear but get even more. When examining Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data prepared by the U.S. Department of Labor, American families spent only 2.6 percent of their annual income on clothes and shoes in 2012.
This number represents a significant drop over the last decade. In fact, in 1999, apparel alone accounted for 3.5 percent of an average family’s annual spending. Despite families committing less of their family budgets to apparel and footwear purchases, consumption continues to climb and the U.S. apparel and footwear employment grew more than three percent over last year.
Imports and U.S. Trade Policy
“With more empirical evidence available now than ever before, it is getting harder for policy makers to shy away from a robust and open discussion about the positive role of imports in our daily lives,” said Burke.
“We look forward to continuing the dialogue as the U.S. apparel and footwear industry’s primary voice in Washington in pursuit of a comprehensive trade agenda that creates jobs from both exports and imports, promotes corporate social responsibility around the world, and eliminates barriers that negatively impact workers and consumers alike.”The “Imports Work” study released specifically cited three import-related trade measures that will greatly benefit hardworking American families, including the immediate passage of the Affordable Footwear Act, common sense legislation that would eliminate the hidden and regressive tax on low-cost footwear, the passage of the U.S.
Optimal Use of Trade to Develop Outerwear and Outdoor Recreation (OUTDOOR) Act, legislation that would eliminate the duty on performance outerwear no long made in the United States, and the passage of the miscellaneous tariff bill (MTB), a package of legislation that would suspend certain tariffs on inputs no longer made in the United States.
About AAFA
Representing more than 1,000 world famous name brands, the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) is the trusted public policy and political voice of the apparel and footwear industry, its management and shareholders, its four million U.S. workers, and its contribution of $350 billion in annual U.S. retail sales.
AAFA stands at the forefront as a leader of positive change for the apparel and footwear industry. With integrity and purpose, AAFA delivers a unified voice on key legislative and regulatory issues. AAFA enables a collaborative forum to promote best practices and innovation. AAFA’s comprehensive work ensures the continued success and growth of the apparel and footwear industry, its suppliers, and its customers.
About Imports Work Week
The “Imports Work for America” study was released at the start of “Imports Work Week.” Now in its second year, “Imports Work Week” is an effort to draw attention to the essential role that imports play in the U.S. and global economy.
For several years, many U.S. and global governmental and non-governmental organizations recognize May as World Trade Month with various proclamations and actions that celebrate the important role of international trade. Imports Work Week, which coincides with World Trade Month, is dedicated to discussing the value of imports in the trade equation.
