AAFA Calls For Tougher Crackdown On Online Counterfeits
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has responded to the release of the 2025 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), calling for greater accountability across e-commerce and social media platforms to curb the spread of counterfeit goods.
AAFA welcomed USTR’s recognition of ongoing concerns related to online marketplaces and social commerce sites, including references to platforms such as Meta’s Facebook and Instagram. The association said such acknowledgment helps raise awareness about the growing threat posed by dangerous counterfeit products.
As part of its fall 2025 submission to USTR, AAFA recommended the inclusion of several platforms in the 2025 Notorious Markets List, including Facebook, Instagram, Shopee, and Alibaba Group’s AliExpress and Taobao. The association maintains that marketplaces facilitating the promotion and sale of counterfeit goods place businesses, workers, consumers and innovation at risk.
AAFA stated that its members continue to invest significant resources in combating counterfeit activity across digital platforms, diverting attention from innovation and job creation. The association called on both global and domestic platforms to adopt more proactive and preventive measures to address counterfeit listings, fraudulent advertisements and tactics that redirect consumers to illegitimate websites.
The group also emphasised the importance of stronger intellectual property enforcement and greater oversight in online commerce, particularly at a time when tariff volatility and global trade disruptions may create opportunities for counterfeiters to undercut legitimate brands. According to AAFA, counterfeit operators bypass regulatory, safety and ethical sourcing standards that authentic brands must meet, allowing them to arbitrarily underprice products.
Earlier this month, AAFA released a study titled Unboxing Fake Fashion: Unleashing Real Dangers, which found a 41 percent safety failure rate among tested counterfeit textiles, accessories and footwear. The report highlighted serious chemical and product safety risks associated with fake goods.
AAFA said it looks forward to continued collaboration with USTR, Congress and the current administration to strengthen enforcement efforts and address what it describes as the “Digital Devalue Chain of Counterfeits,” while reinforcing consumer safety and intellectual property protections.
