United States Fashion Industry Association

What United States Fashion Industry Association does

United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit trade association founded in 1989 (originally as USA-ITA, renamed in 2011) that represents U.S. apparel brands, retailers, importers, and wholesalers in front of the federal government and international stakeholders. Its core technology footprint is a member-gated website delivering industry news, research reports, webinar libraries, and event registration, supplemented by the annual USFIA Fashion Industry Benchmarking Study and the Sourcing Trends & Outlook report; USFIA does not offer a proprietary software product. Revenue is generated primarily through annual membership dues from approximately 200+ member companies, registration fees for the Washington Trade Symposium and the Annual Apparel Importers Trade & Transportation Conference, webinar program fees, and structured partnerships with sponsors such as PwC, Geodis, FibreTrace, and WRAP.

USFIA's go-to-market relies on direct enterprise membership recruitment, recurring advocacy through filings to the U.S. Trade Representative, Customs and Border Protection, and CITA, plus tiered event sponsorship and reciprocal membership arrangements with international industry groups. Its strategic posture is increasingly activist: in 2026 it co-led an unprecedented joint Section 301 trade incentive proposal with NCTO, AAFA, USINFI, and AMCIRC, and signed KYG Trade as its exclusive AI partner to extend member services into trade compliance automation. The organization operates with a very small core staff (firmographic range of 1-10 employees) and is governed by a Board of Directors drawn from member companies including American Eagle Outfitters, Levi Strauss & Co., and Urban Outfitters.

Name

United States Fashion Industry Association

Legal name

United States Fashion Industry Association

Website

https://usfashionindustry.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

United States Fashion Industry Association is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit trade association founded in 1989 that represents U.S. apparel brands, retailers, importers, and wholesalers through trade policy advocacy, industry research, networking events, and educational programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Merchant Wholesalers (424350)

SIC

Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support) (BPAGALAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD), Partner Network & Supplier Onboarding/Connectivity Platforms (Mapping, Certification, QA) (THALAJAO)

Keywords

• Trade association services
• Apparel import advocacy
• Fashion industry research
• Trade policy benchmarking
• Sourcing compliance resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: USFIA operates as a membership organization for fashion industry companies. Companies join as members to access benefits including research reports, networking opportunities, advocacy representation, and event discounts.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue generated from registration fees for conferences including the Washington Trade Symposium, Annual Conference/Apparel Importers Trade & Transportation Conference, and other educational events.
3. Webinar and Educational Programs: Fees for webinar library access and educational programming on trade compliance, tariffs, and industry topics.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

USFIA is a membership-based trade association that provides fashion industry brands, retailers, importers, and wholesalers with trade policy advocacy, industry research and benchmarking reports, educational events and conferences, and networking opportunities. Core offerings include the annual Fashion Industry Benchmarking Study, the Sourcing Trends & Outlook report, the Washington Trade Symposium, the Annual Apparel Importers Trade & Transportation Conference, a webinar library, and social compliance and sustainability resources.

Product overview

USFIA is a trade association, not a product company. Its offerings consist of industry research publications (Benchmarking Study, Sourcing Trends & Outlook, The SMART STITCH), educational events (Washington Trade Symposium, Annual Apparel Importers Trade & Transportation Conference), webinar library, compliance resources, and newsroom content. The organization does not offer a software product or technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• USFIA Fashion Industry Benchmarking Study Annual comprehensive study tracking fashion industry sourcing trends, benchmarking practices, and trade policy impacts on member companies. Sold/offered to brands, retailers, importers, and wholesalers.
• USFIA Sourcing Trends & Outlook Annual report analyzing the sourcing landscape for the fashion industry, covering top suppliers, tariff impacts, and regional sourcing trends. Targeted at fashion brands, retailers, and importers.
• The SMART STITCH Research publication covering textile and apparel industry trends and analysis, available to members and industry stakeholders.
• Washington Trade Symposium Annual trade policy conference held in Washington, DC bringing together industry leaders, government officials, and trade experts. Sold via event registration to industry members and stakeholders.
• Annual Apparel Importers Trade & Transportation Conference Annual conference focusing on trade, transportation, sourcing, compliance, and logistics for apparel importers and retailers, held in New York City at FIT.
• Webinar Library On-demand educational webinars covering trade policy, compliance, tariffs, and industry trends, available to members and program subscribers.
• Social Compliance & Sustainability Resources Educational materials and guidance on social compliance, forced labor prevention, and sustainability practices for fashion brands and importers.
• USFIA Newsroom Press releases, announcements, and media coverage featuring USFIA leadership and industry positions, distributed to members and trade media.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 56,000 new US jobs could be created through the proposed textile and apparel trade incentive program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KYG TradecoreTechnology or Integration · 7 July 2026KYG Trade has been named USFIA's exclusive AI partner. KYG Trade will support USFIA members with educational programs, custom management, supply chain transparency, and the practical use of AI. KYG Trade's platform provides AI solutions for trade compliance, tariff optimisation, forced labour compliance, free trade agreement qualification, and product classification. Todd R Smith is the founder and CEO of KYG Trade.
• National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCTO is one of four major industry groups that jointly submitted a trade policy proposal to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for a textile and apparel trade incentive program. This was the first time these traditionally divergent groups collaborated on trade policy.
• American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAFA is one of four major industry groups that jointly submitted a trade policy proposal to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for a textile and apparel trade incentive program to offset Section 301 tariff costs.
• U.S. Industrial and Narrow Fabrics Institute (USINFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSINFI is one of four major industry groups that jointly submitted a trade policy proposal to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for a textile and apparel trade incentive program.
• PwCminorOthersPwC serves as USFIA's Premier Partner, providing expertise and support for industry research and events.
• GeodisminorOthersGeodis serves as USFIA's Customs Broker Partner, supporting the association's logistics and customs compliance initiatives.
• FibreTraceminorOthersFibreTrace serves as USFIA's Innovation Partner, supporting sustainability and traceability initiatives in the fashion supply chain.
• WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production)minorOthersWRAP serves as USFIA's Corporate Social Responsibility Sponsor, supporting the association's social compliance and sustainability resources.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Retail Federation (NRF): Largest US retail trade association covering all retail verticals. Comparable as a broader trade-association incumbent that also lobbies on tariffs and supply chain but covers a much wider membership base than USFIA's apparel-focused remit.
• Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA): Trade association for US retail industry leaders, including major apparel and omnichannel retailers. Overlaps with USFIA on supply chain, trade, and ESG advocacy but operates at a broader retail level rather than fashion-specific.
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: The largest US business federation, with broad trade-policy advocacy that includes apparel and retail supply chain issues. Comparable as a Washington-based trade-policy advocate for US businesses, but operating at a vastly broader industry scope than USFIA.
• Outdoor Industry Association: US trade association for the outdoor recreation industry, including apparel brands. Overlaps with USFIA on trade policy advocacy for apparel-importing member brands but represents a narrower outdoor-product vertical.

Emerging players

• Textile Exchange: Nonprofit focused on preferred fibers and materials in the textile industry. Comparable as an apparel/textile industry organization pursuing standards and member engagement, but with a sustainability/materials focus rather than trade-policy focus.
• Sustainable Apparel Coalition: Industry coalition focused on sustainability and social compliance in apparel and footwear. Adjacent to USFIA's social compliance and forced-labor work; overlaps on member companies but specializes in sustainability tools rather than tariff policy.
• Fashion Group International: Membership organization for fashion, beauty, retail, and related industries. Comparable as a US-based fashion industry association, but oriented more toward networking, education, and trends rather than trade policy advocacy.

Direct peers

• National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO): US trade association representing the full textile supply chain from fibers to finished products. Direct peer because it operates in the same Washington policy ecosystem on textile trade issues and jointly submitted the Section 301 proposal with USFIA.
• American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA): The leading US trade association representing apparel, footwear, and related sewn products companies. Directly comparable to USFIA: both lobby on trade and tariff policy, share overlapping membership, and recently co-led the joint Section 301 trade incentive proposal.
• AMCIRC (American Manufacturing Coalition for Innovation, Research, and Commerce): Coalition focused on US textile and apparel manufacturing, explicitly named alongside USFIA in Section 301 forced labor comments. Closely comparable on trade and sourcing-policy advocacy for the same industry constituency.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/usfashion
• Facebookfacebook.com/textilesandapparel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-states-fashion-industry-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about United States Fashion Industry Association