U.S. Apparel Industry Calls on Alibaba to Clean Up Counterfeits

Chinese e-commerce platform Alibaba has been the subject of debate for some time now—last December, the company hired a former Apple investigator to fight the numerous counterfeit goods on the site; in June, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigated the company. Now, the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has released a statement calling for the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) office to add the company to its list of "notorious markets."

"Despite numerous public statements that the company is taking the counterfeit problem seriously, we have yet to see improvements on Alibaba's platforms," Rick Helfenbein, president and CEO of AAFA, said in the statement. "USTR removed Alibaba from its list several years ago, on the condition that the company meet specific requirements going forward. Those requirements have not been met, and as a result, American consumers and our members are paying the price."

According to Forbes, Alibaba responded by saying that it has made its own statement on the issue to the USTR, and asserted that it "routinely collaborates with brands, associations and regulators to maintain the integrity of [its] marketplace."