Leading organisations representing the apparel, textile, footwear and retail industries across the United States, Canada and Mexico have jointly called for the USMCA renewal to move forward during the agreement’s scheduled 2026 review. The coalition says extending the pact is essential for preserving integrated regional supply chains and ensuring long-term economic stability across North America.
The appeal comes amid renewed uncertainty surrounding the future of the trade agreement after US President Donald Trump indicated he may oppose its continuation, citing what he considers unfair trade relationships with both Canada and Mexico.
Introduced on 1 July 2020 as the successor to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) governs approximately $1.6 trillion in annual trade between the three neighbouring economies.
To reinforce the importance of the agreement, a joint letter was submitted to USTR Ambassador Greer, Secretary Ebrard and Minister LeBlanc by a broad alliance of industry associations. Signatories include the AAFA, NRF, FDRA, USFIA, RILA, Asociación Nacional de Tiendas de Autoservicio y Departamentales, A.C. (ANTAD), Cámara Nacional de la Industria del Vestido (CANAIVE), Canadian Apparel Federation (CAF), Uniform Manufacturers & Distributors (NAUMD), and the Retail Council of Canada (RCC). Together, the organisations expressed strong support for maintaining the trilateral framework established under the USMCA.
“The USMCA plays a critical role in supporting the textile, apparel, footwear, and retail industries, helping businesses thrive while sustaining millions of jobs across North America,” read the letter.
The industry groups highlighted that decades of economic cooperation have created deeply interconnected manufacturing and sourcing networks across the three countries. According to the letter, these integrated supply chains continue to drive investment, employment and cross-border trade throughout the cotton, textile, apparel, footwear and retail sectors.
“Deeply integrated supply chains have developed over decades across all three countries, facilitating substantial trade, investment and jobs in cotton, textiles, apparel, footwear, and retail sectors. To sustain this growth, it is essential to preserve duty-free treatment for USMCA-qualifying goods and maintain strong, enforceable and practical rules of origin.
“The USMCA underpins North American supply chains by establishing clear and predictable rules and providing a long-term framework that supports jobs, investment, and regional trade. Maintaining the Agreement’s core structure will help avoid unnecessary trade disruptions and business uncertainty. Our industries stand ready to serve as a resource and partner in continued collaboration throughout the review process.”
The coalition emphasised that USMCA renewal would provide businesses with the certainty needed to continue investing across North America while protecting duty-free trade benefits and preserving consistent rules that have strengthened regional competitiveness over the past several years.
