Apparel Imports Restricted Under New Forced Labor Orders

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced two new withhold release orders that, effective June 23, require the detention at all U.S. ports of entry of garments produced by Needle Craft Ltd. and Casual Wear Apparel LLC garment-manufacturing factories in Jordan. CBP states that this WRO is based on evidence that workers at these factories are subject to seven International Labor Organization indicators of forced labor.

According to CBP, importers of detained shipments may seek to destroy or export those shipments or demonstrate that the goods were not produced with forced labor.

WROs are issued pursuant to 19 USC 1307, which prohibits imports of goods made wholly or in part with forced labor, including convict labor. CBP notes that these are the fifth and sixth WROs issued so far in fiscal year 2026.

Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg offers a comprehensive suite of services to help companies address forced labor concerns around the world, including supply chain reviews, due diligence strategies, and proactive remediation. STR also maintains a web page offering a broad range of information on forced labor-related efforts in the U.S. and around the world. For more information, please contact STR at supplychainvisibility@strtrade.com.