U.S. consumer confidence slipped in August, according to the latest report released Aug. 27 by The Conference Board. The August Consumer Confidence Index® headline index fell 1.3 points to 97.4, down from 98.7 in July. The Present Situation Index declined to 131.2, while the Expectations Index dropped to 74.8, well below the 80-point threshold that historically signals [...]

Jim Mortenson, a Minnesota Administrative Law Judge, issued a report Aug. 28 on the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s proposed rule on reporting PFAS in products and associated fees. The judge stated his disapproval of the proposed rule due to the agency’s “failure to assess the cumulative effect of the rule with other federal and state [...]

Attendees of The Makers Meet hosted by Trivantage® expressed appreciation for networking opportunities with peers, hands-on demonstrations and witnessing fabric construction. Photo: Trivantage Trivantage®, a supplier for workroom and upholstery professionals, held The Makers Meet Aug. 14–15. This new educational event was designed to celebrate the skill, creativity and community of workrooms and upholstery shops. [...]

Image: Designtex Designtex, a designer and manufacturer of applied materials for the built environment, has added a new artificial intelligence (AI) image search feature to its website, designtex.com. The AI feature was developed in collaboration with Stylib, a tech startup. After a user uploads an image or selects a swatch, the system analyzes the content [...]

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued further modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), effective Mon., Sept. 8. The changes were issued in the Sept. 5 Executive Order “Modifying the Scope of Reciprocal Tariffs and Establishing Procedures for Implementing Trade and Security Agreements.” The order further modifies import duties imposed by [...]

The Indian government announced Aug. 28 that the country will extend its import duty exemption on cotton until Dec. 31. Previously, the exemption was to be in effect until ⁠Sept. 30. The exemption reduces the import duty on cotton from 11% to 0%. The decision was informed by the Indian Central Board of Indirect Taxes [...]

Visitor registration is now open for Metstrade, scheduled Nov. 18–20, 2025 at RAI Amsterdam. Organizers say this will be the biggest show to date, with expanded halls, enhanced zones, over 1,600 exhibitors and a carefully curated content plan. Metstrade is an international recreational boating event, designed to give attendees access to global market insights, collaborate [...]

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed two bills into law Aug. 15 related to the phase-out of PFAS in a variety of products. These included the PFAS Reduction Act (HB 2516) and the Deputy Chief Pete Bendinelli PFAS PPE Act (HB 2409). The PFAS Reduction Act bans the sale, manufacture and distribution of intentionally added PFAS [...]

The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) has announced its 2025 Education Conference lineup, featuring an expanded schedule of seminars, workshops and Main Stage sessions for marine industry professionals. IBEX takes place Oct. 7–9, 2025, at the Tampa Convention Center. One event at the 2025 show is a panel on managing tariffs, trade, and supply chain [...]

Brill Maritime Inc., d/b/a Export Yacht Sales, has filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida against Boats Group LLC. The suit accuses Boats Group of “antitrust violations pursuant to the Sherman Act” and for “unfair methods of competition under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.” Boats Group is the parent company [...]