More than 75 percent of Americans participate in active outdoor recreation each year, contributing $730 billion and 6.5 million jobs to the U.S. economy, including jobs in the U.S. apparel industry.
While the average duty on imports is less than 2 percent, the rates on recreational performance outerwear averages a much higher 17 percent, and sometimes up to 28 percent. These disproportionately high tariffs were originally implemented to protect U.S. manufacturers from foreign competition, but now they stifle innovation and raise costs throughout our economy.
The legislation introduced today will make apparel more affordable while also establishing the Sustainable Textile and Apparel Research (STAR) Fund. The fund will make grants available to certain non-profit organizations to advance U.S. competitiveness in lean manufacturing technologies and supply chain analysis. The STAR Fund grants, made available through a competitive process administered by the Department of Commerce, will help the global textile and apparel industry minimize energy and water use, reduce waste and global warming emissions, and incorporate sustainable practices into a product's entire life cycle.
Through these mechanisms, this legislation will support the outdoor industry, consumers of outdoor products, and environmental practices throughout the textile industry supply chain.
United States House of Representatives
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