AAFA fights shoe tax ban
AAFA, the US trade association representing apparel, footwear and other sewn products companies and their suppliers, has spoken out against the country’s 75-year-old shoe tax which it considers outdated.
US representatives Joseph Crowley, Kevin Brady and Nancy Boyda, along with 35 original co-sponsors, have introduced the Affordable Footwear Act of 2007 to roll back the outdated tax. This tax relief legislation eliminates the import tariffs – collectively known as the shoe tax – on all lower to moderately priced footwear as well as all children’s shoes; totalling around 60% of all shoes sold in the US.
The shoe tax was originally implemented to protect the domestic footwear industry. But now, with 99% of all footwear sold in America being imported, the shoe tax has out-lived its purpose and has become unavoidable. According to AAFA, the tax on footwear imports is highest, sometimes as much as 67%, on the least expensive shoes, and this cost is often passed on to consumers.
