Posts

Aug. 5, 2025

In what has now become a familiar pattern, on July 31, 2025, markets throughout the world were once again disrupted by wide-ranging actions on tariffs instituted by the US administration.  Once the dust had settled on last week’s announcements, various countries and industries could take stock of their position (and others are still looking to “sweeten the deal”) before these tariffs take effect on August 7, 2025.   For companies exporting Canadian-made apparel to US, little has changed in terms of …

Aug. 4, 2025

Gateway to Europe offers a comprehensive range of services to Canadian fashion, sports, and lifestyle companies looking to expand into Europe and the UK. Tailored to the needs of small to medium-sized brands, the program supports growth, minimizes risk, and provides all necessary operational support, without requiring a European entity. Through the partnership with the Canadian Apparel Federation, members gain direct access to a proven setup designed to simplify cross-border expansion. What We Offer Gateway to Europe streamlines your international …

July 27, 2025

Canadian Apparel Insights Retail Apparel Update Aritzia’s Canadian sales increased 17.0% in its Q1 2025. Canada’s largest apparel e-commerce retailers in 2024 were Shein, lululemon, Aritzia and Amazon. Canadian 2024 luxury apparel/accessory sales declined 2.7% to C$2.72 billion. Canada’s athleisure market increased by 4.6% in 2024. Lululemon during 2024 sourced 40% of its products from Vietnam, 17% from Cambodia, 11% from Sri Lanka, 11% from Indonesia, 7% from Bangladesh and the remaining 14% from other countries. Bain is considering selling …

July 26, 2025

Apparel Textile Sourcing Canada (ATSC) celebrates its 10th edition with events in Montreal on September 26, 2025 during Montreal Fashion Week and in Toronto from September 29 to October 1, 2025. Over 200 global manufacturers will showcase their latest apparel and textile collections, emphasizing low MOQs and product diversification. ATSC addresses critical industry topics like tariffs, trade, sustainability, and trends. Admission to the tradeshow and seminars is free. Industry Leaders, Strategic Partnerships ATSC continues its partnership with the Canadian Apparel …

July 26, 2025

MMODE, the Montreal fashion cluster, is proud to announce the return of the mmode Gala, which will take place on September 30th at Espace Paddock, at Parc Jean-Drapeau, in Montréal for its 5th edition.This year, the Gala will be held as part of the closing night of Montreal Fashion Week, a festive and unifying evening to celebrate the creativity, commitment, and excellence of those shaping our industry. A total of 21 prizes will be awarded this year to spotlight the …

Posted by Danielle Kuczer July 25, 2025

The Canadian Apparel Federation (CAF) and global digital solutions provider Fortude today announced a strategic partnership aimed at accelerating digital adoption within the Canadian fashion and apparel sector. Through this collaboration, CAF and Fortude will equip Canadian apparel businesses with the knowledge and tools to embrace digital solutions and AI-led transformations that will drive competitive growth. As the fashion industry evolves to meet new expectations around speed, agility, and data-driven decision-making, advanced technology solutions have emerged as key enablers, optimizing …

June 25, 2025

Companies in the apparel/textile sector should be preparing for new reporting requirements for the Federal Plastics Registry (FPR). The registry is a system designed to track plastic throughout its lifecycle—from production to disposal. It aims to gather reliable data to help reduce plastic waste and pollution. Of immediate concern to companies is a requirement to report the volume of plastic in packaging, beginning in September 2025, and reporting on plastics in apparel/textile products beginning in 2026. Companies unfamiliar with this …

June 23, 2025

  The new anti-greenwashing provisions in Canada's Competition Act, which came into effect on June 20, 2024, require businesses to ensure that environmental claims are not false or misleading and are backed by adequate and proper testing or substantiated using internationally recognized methodologies. ' The Competition Bureau has issued final guidelines to assist businesses in complying with these new rules. Their guidance document is located here: https://competition-bureau.canada.ca/en/how-we-foster-competition/education-and-outreach/guide-june-2024-amendments-competition-act We encourage all firms to review how these guidelines would impact your marketing. …

June 9, 2025

On June 4, 2025, CAF hosted a very informative webinar featuring supply chain technology suppliers: Supply Trace and ImportYeti. These platforms offer invaluable insights into supply chain dynamics, enabling companies to identify risks (forced labour etc.), discover reliable suppliers, and make informed sourcing decisions.  The webinar was a free-flowing discussion and a great demonstration of the two platforms.  The recording of the webinar is hosted in the CAF Webinar archive.  This is the first of a planned series of supply …

June 3, 2025

  Agreeing with President Donald Trump’s recent comments that US tariff policy is not focused on driving the domestic footwear and apparel industry, five apparel industry associations recently wrote to the President, arguing that it is simply not feasible to scale up domestic footwear and apparel manufacturing right now due to significant supply chain, labor and cost constraints. “Tariff policy cannot overcome these obstacles, especially when it is imposing new costs on existing manufacturers in our industry,” they said in a letter …