Fashion without Borders: Navigating Global Trade in a Shifting World
In Partnership with the United States Fashion Industry Association
Organizers
Description
Examine how evolving trade agreements, shifting tariffs, and geopolitical dynamics are reshaping sourcing, production, and retail strategies for global fashion brands. Panelists from U.S. trade associations, supply chain executives, and academic experts on international business will discuss strategies to remain competitive and resilient.
Background
Following President Donald Trump’s 2025 reciprocal tariff policy, the United States imposed new tariffs on most of its major trading partners, triggering swift international retaliation and deepening economic uncertainty. Analysts expect these measures to produce a wide-ranging ripple effect, including higher prices for consumers, disrupted global supply chains, and slower U.S. and global economic…
Date: 2025-11-20
Time (ET): 3:00 PM EST, Nov 20, 2025
Time (Local): 8:00 PM UTC, Nov 20, 2025
Agenda:
- Speaker Welcome Room - 13 : 40
- Guided Discussion - 14 : 00
- General Discussion - 14 : 35
- Interactive Q&A - 14 : 45
Location: online
Speakers
Philip Sawyer
Co-owner, Philip Sawyer Designs, Professor, Rhode Island School of Design
Ana Hinojosa
Former Executive Director at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Advisor, Oritain
Julia K. Hughes
President, United States Fashion Industry Association
Mark Burstein
Senior Vice President, Inspectorio
Guided Questions
Mark Burstein
From your perspective working with global brands, how might reciprocal tariffs reshape how companies use traceability and data to manage increasingly complex supply chains? Given your experience driving sustainable transformation, how can fashion businesses maintain their sustainability goals while navigating higher costs and sourcing disruptions caused by tariffs?
Philip Sawyer
As a designer and manufacturer working closely with production networks, how do reciprocal tariffs influence your sourcing strategies and pricing decisions? Drawing on your experience collaborating with artisans in Southeast Asia, how might these tariff changes affect relationships with suppliers and the flow of creative work across borders?
Ana Hinojosa
With your decades of experience at U.S. Customs and the World Customs Organization, how do you see evolving trade and labor regulations—such as those addressing forced labor and origin verification—reshaping global sourcing strategies for fashion and textile brands? As brands increasingly adopt traceability technologies to meet both ethical and legal requirements, what role do you see for scientific verification tools, like those developed by Oritain, in building trust and accountability across complex global supply chains?