Import news and archive

US ends de minimis loophole for international imports

As of Friday, the US has abolished duty-free imports for goods valued under 800 dollars. President Donald Trump initially lifted the exemption for China. At the end of July, he also ordered the end of duty-free status for parcels from around the world. International postal services had already restricted shipments to the US in recent weeks due...

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90 percent of US imported second-hand garments are reused domestically in Guatemala

The global secondhand clothing market doesn’t necessarily carry a good name, as textile waste from developed countries has been disproportionately impacting countries from Ghana and Kenya to Uganda and Nigeria, according to Bank & Vogue. With many third-world countries lacking the proper infrastructure to handle the sheer volume of imported used...

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US apparel imports rebound in June, India gains market share

The Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) released new data for June 2025, revealing a slight rebound in US apparel imports after a decline in May. Total imports of apparel for the month of June 2025 were 2,036.0 million square meter equivalents (MSME), an increase of 0.5 percent from June 2024. This marks a shift from the previous month's...

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EU presents new list of retaliatory tariffs after Trump's letter

Following US President Donald Trump's new tariff announcements, the EU is preparing additional retaliatory tariffs on 72 billion euros worth of imports from the US. This was announced by the relevant EU Commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, after a meeting of trade ministers in Brussels. The preparations for the countermeasures involve a list of...

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UK government introduces new trade measures for developing countries

The UK government has introduced new measures that intend to simplify imports from developing countries. The changes come under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme and, according to a press release, aim to “lower prices on everyday goods while supporting growth in some of the world’s poorest nations”. The measures particularly address...

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Argentina, new fertile ground for global fast fashion: Record imports in 2025

Buenos Aires – The combination of a more accessible dollar and the opening of imports is already having a strong impact on the Argentine textile industry, in a scenario where Chinese "fast fashion" giants are gaining more and more ground. According to data from the Argentine Chamber of the Apparel Industry (CIAI), in the first five months of...

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US Senate garners industry praise for passing bill that could end de minimis loophole

Textile industry leaders have praised the US Senate’s decision to pass a budget reconciliation package that could potentially see the permanent end of de minimis for commercial shipments from all countries. The provision, which would end de minimis treatment by July 1, 2027, comes as part of a broader budget bill addressing tax code provisions...

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Study: Branded clothing sector contributes almost 332 billion euros to EU economy

A study released by the European Branded Clothing Association (EBCA) today presents new findings from Oxford Economics, which reveals that the European branded clothing sector contributes 331.8 billion euros to the EU’s GDP annually, which is nearly 2 percent of the total EU economy. It also highlights the sector’s role in driving jobs, trade...

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Business|OPINION

Trump's tariffs: Unexpected boom for second-hand clothing market

Around a month ago, Donald Trump turned his favourite word ‘tariffs’ into a much-feared reality. The result? Panic in the fashion world, stock market prices that are trembling, and brands that are frantically calculating price increases in Excel spreadsheets. Because one thing is certain: ‘new’ will soon be a lot more expensive. But while brands...

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UK chancellor to review de minimis rule, mitigate impact of ‘dumped’ goods

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has outlined a plan to mitigate the impact of “practices that undercut fair trade” which will include a review of the customs treatment of Low Value Imports. The law currently allows for goods valued at 135 pounds or less to be imported without paying customs duties. Some retail giants, however, have called for this to...

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Podcast: Possible Consequences of Trump’s Import Duties for Fashion Sector

On April 2, US President Donald Trump announced an unprecedented series of import duties, which could amount to 54 percent for fashion imports from key production countries such as China and Vietnam, and 20 percent for goods from the EU. These measures caused panic on global markets, increased the chance of a recession in the US, and caused...

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International Apparel Federation: ‘Import Duties are Threat to Entire Industries’

The International Apparel Federation (IAF) stated that the import duties implemented by the United States pose a direct threat to entire industries. In a statement, the federation wrote that there is a risk of destabilising economies and that the duties jeopardise the livelihoods of countless employees and entrepreneurs in the clothing industry....