AAFA react to USTR’S Notorious Markets report while calling for more accountability for counterfeits

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) reflects on the release of the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) 2025 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy (NML).

"We were pleased to see USTR recognize existing concerns across e-commerce and social media sites, including mentioning Meta’s Facebook and Instagram. This is an important step to help raise awareness of the scourge of dangerous counterfeits," said AAFA President and CEO Steve Lamar.

Each year, AAFA submits concerns about markets that allow, and benefit from, the promotion and sale of counterfeit products, which puts businesses, workers, consumers, and American innovation in danger. In its fall 2025 submission, AAFA recommended the following platforms for inclusion in USTR’s 2025 NML report: Meta: Facebook; Meta: Instagram; Shopee; Alibaba: AliExpress; Alibaba: Taobao.

"AAFA members are working tirelessly to fight counterfeits across e-commerce and social commerce platforms, detracting energy and resources from their ability to innovate and employ. This is a form of corruption and fraud that haunts Americans everywhere, and something we simply can't afford to allow to flourish," explained AAFA's Senior Director of Brand Protection, Jennifer Hanks. “In addition to USTR's emphasis on global marketplaces, all domestic platforms should institute more proactive, preventative measures to address dangerous counterfeits, fraudulent advertisements and ways to take consumers off platform to fraudulent websites. We look forward to continued collaboration with USTR, Congress, and the Trump Administration to advance initiatives to address issues across the Digital Devalue Chain of Counterfeits."

"Thank you to USTR for continuing to focus on the importance of intellectual property protections and consumer safety. Increased attention is crucial, along with more oversight in online commerce. As an industry that faces among the highest threats of IP theft, we are particularly frustrated at how counterfeiters are the main winners in a chaotic and costly tariff climate. Counterfeiters can arbitrarily underprice dangerous goods as they bypass the checks and balances of authentic, responsibly sourced, goods. Legitimate brands invest millions to make sure products are responsibly made and ethically sourced. Counterfeiters can largely avoid those extra costs," continued Lamar.

Earlier this month, AAFA released a study assessing the safety of counterfeit textiles, accessories, footwear, and more. The published “Unboxing Fake Fashion Unleashing Real Dangers" report reveals a 41 percent safety failure rate and alarming evidence the counterfeit products present serious chemical and product safety hazards to consumers.