The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) has called on the United States to impose new tariffs on apparel sourced from Asia, arguing that goods linked to forced labor are entering the US market and undercutting domestic producers.

The industry body, which represents US textile manufacturers and the domestic supply chain, has positioned the proposed tariffs as a trade-enforcement measure rather than a conventional trade-policy adjustment. Its appeal ties directly to existing US forced-labor legislation, including the enforcement regime that already blocks imports of cotton products from Xinjiang unless importers can prove their supply chains are free of forced labor.

For sourcing and compliance teams, the development signals continued tightening around Asian apparel origins. If US authorities act on the NCTO's request, brands sourcing from the affected Asian production bases would face new duty exposure on top of existing compliance burdens, adding cost and documentation requirements to already stretched lead times.

The call also reflects the ongoing pressure campaign by US textile interests to reduce import penetration from Asia and reshore portions of the apparel cut-and-make chain to the Western Hemisphere, where US yarn and fabric inputs dominate under preferential trade programs.

At this stage, the proposal remains a lobbying position rather than confirmed policy. No tariff rates, country scope, or implementation timeline have been adopted, and any action would require a formal US government decision. Buyers and vendors should monitor whether the request advances through trade-enforcement channels in the coming months.