Professor and graduate director shares global research on tariffs, sourcing and sustainability

Sheng Lu, professor and graduate director of fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware, presented his latest research on U.S. apparel sourcing, trade policy and global supply chains at a series of prominent industry and academic events in the United States and abroad.

Lu joined a panel discussion with Ambassador Katherine Tai, former U.S. Trade Representative, at Cornell University’s Global Labor Institute annual conference. The panel examined shifting U.S. trade patterns and their implications for garment workers in the evolving global economic order.

Internationally, Lu delivered the keynote address at the Asia-Pacific Textile and Apparel Supply Chain Expo & Summit (APTEXPO) in Singapore on Nov. 19. His keynote focused on the impacts of tariffs on the Asian garment industry and the broader implications for regional supply chains. The event was hosted by the ASEAN Federation of Textile Industries.

On Nov. 5, Lu spoke at the 2025 Apparel Importers Trade and Transportation Conference in New York City, co-hosted by the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) and the Fashion Institute of Technology. His presentation, “Tariffs and U.S. Apparel Sourcing Trends: Company & Product-level Insights,” examined how tariff hikes and policy uncertainty are reshaping retail pricing and product assortments in the U.S. market.

Earlier in the fall, Lu delivered a virtual presentation to the Fair Labor Association’s Fall 2025 Board Convening and Stakeholder Conference in Berlin, Germany. His talk, “Tariffs and Implications for Apparel Sourcing,” addressed the financial and operational challenges facing fashion companies amid evolving global trade policies.

On Sept. 25, he also participated in a panel discussion on textile and apparel nearshoring at the 16th Sourcing Journal Fall Summit in New York City, engaging with more than 200 executives from leading U.S. fashion firms.

Lu and graduate student Katie Yasik presented research on sustainable sourcing strategies during the summer at a U.S. International Trade Commission seminar in Washington, D.C., followed by presentations at three USFIA events, including the Washington Trade Symposium and a USFIA Board of Directors meeting. He also shared findings from his study, “The Impact of Tariffs on U.S. Textile and Apparel Trade,” at the Southern Textile Association’s annual meeting in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, one of the nation’s oldest textile industry gatherings.