AAFA CEO Steve Lamar warned that President Trump's tariff policy is 'ill-advised' and could negatively impact U.S. supply chains, potentially harming millions of American jobs and undermining domestic manufacturing.

On March 31, 2025, AAFA, in partnership with the Fair Labor Association, sent a letter to USTR urging the preservation of nearly $580 million in ILAB grants. The letter argued that canceling these grants undermines efforts to enforce labor standards, protect workers' rights, and prevent forced labor and other abuses globally, ultimately harming American workers and businesses.

On March 28, 2025, AAFA's leadership, including President Steve Lamar and policy senior vice president Nate Herman, publicly voiced concerns over the termination of over $500m ILAB contracts that were designed to enforce labour standards internationally. Citing the adverse impact on American workers and businesses, AAFA signed a group letter to the US Secretary of Labor urging the reinstatement of key contracts, including one related to Uzbek cotton, arguing that the cancellation creates an uneven playing field in global labour practices.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association issued a statement warning that the Trump administration's elimination of ILAB grants—which fund initiatives to combat child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking—will create an uneven playing field for US businesses and undermine critical labor protections.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association warned that the Trump administration’s elimination of ILAB grants—funding initiatives to combat child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking—will create an uneven playing field for U.S. apparel and footwear businesses, potentially undermining international labor standards and fair supply-chain practices.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association issued a statement on March 26, 2025, expressing alarm at the U.S. Department of Labor's decision to cancel contracts—including the Global Better Work Program and Better Work Global—that were designed to improve working conditions. This reaction appears to align with broader industry concerns over regulatory policies that enhance labor rights.

AAFA, in collaboration with the Fair Labour Association (FLA), sent a public letter urging Department of Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to preserve, protect, and promote the Bureau of International Labour Affairs (ILAB). The letter emphasized ILAB's role in enforcing labor standards, combating child and forced labor, and supporting collective bargaining, which is critical for safeguarding American workers in the apparel and footwear industries.

AAFA, in collaboration with FLA, sent a letter to US Secretary of Labor urging the preservation and promotion of ILAB programs which safeguard labor rights for American and international garment workers. The letter highlighted the importance of enforcing and upholding labor standards, including measures against child labor, forced labor, and in favor of collective bargaining.

In a statement featured in the Business of Fashion article dated March 7, 2025, AAFA's senior vice president of policy, Nate Herman, warned that the Trump administration’s decision to freeze significant foreign aid has jeopardized hard-won labor rights protections in global fashion supply chains, risking a swift rollback of progress achieved over two decades.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and the Fair Labor Association (FLA) re-launched and enhanced their Commitment to Responsible Recruitment, reinforcing ethical labor practices for migrant workers in the apparel and footwear supply chain. The renewed pact focuses on ensuring that workers are not subjected to forced labor practices, are not required to pay recruitment fees, and receive timely refunds for any costs incurred, thereby strengthening protections for vulnerable migrant labor.

On March 28, 2023, American Apparel & Footwear Association, in partnership with the Fair Labor Association, re-launched and enhanced their Apparel & Footwear Industry Commitment to Responsible Recruitment. The initiative aims to protect migrant workers by ensuring they are not burdened with recruitment fees, have control over their travel documents, and are treated with dignity and fairness.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association, in partnership with the Fair Labor Association, re-launched and enhanced the Commitment to Responsible Recruitment to improve protections for migrant workers, ensuring that workers are not charged recruitment fees and maintain control over their documents.

AAFA, along with NRF, RILA, and USFIA, issued a joint statement on December 2, 2020, in response to US enforcement actions regulating XPCC cotton imports from Xinjiang. The statement condemns forced labor and underscores a commitment to ethical supply chain practices and human rights, while supporting government initiatives against oppressive labor practices.

On March 10, 2020, the American Apparel & Footwear Association, along with industry partners, issued a joint statement condemning forced labor practices in Xinjiang, emphasizing the need for robust, multi-stakeholder government engagement and ethical supply chain reform.

AAFA, in collaboration with the Fair Labor Association, helped initiate the AAFA/FLA Apparel & Footwear Industry Commitment to Responsible Recruitment. Signed by 123 apparel and footwear companies on October 22, 2018, the initiative aims to combat forced labor risks and ensure fair recruitment practices for migrant workers in global supply chains.