February 6, 2023

WASHINGTON – The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), representing the full spectrum of the U.S. textile industry from fibers through finished sewn products, welcomed Vice President Kamala Harris’ announcement of $585 million in new textile and apparel investments and sourcing commitments in Central America today.

“Over the past year, well over $1 billion of new textile and apparel investments have been announced in Central America and the United States,” said NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas.  “The $585 million of investments and sourcing commitments announced today in the region will continue to build on the strong momentum of growth of nearshoring and onshoring these critical supply chains.”

The investments and sourcing commitments announced today continue to build on the robust textile and apparel co-production chain between the U.S. and Central America,” said NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas. “We sincerely appreciate the administration’s commitment to this critical manufacturing sector that has contributed to the backbone of economic development in Central America and the United States. And we look forward to working with our retail and brand partners to continue to expand our vital manufacturing sector.”

Over the last year, substantial investments have been flowing into Central America, predicated on the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and the co-production chain that facilitates $15.1 billion in two-way textile and apparel trade and supports more than one million workers in the U.S. and the region.

“We saw apparel imports largely containing U.S. textile inputs from the CAFTA-DR region jump 24 percent according to the latest government trade data, and we have seen well over $1 billion in investments in the region,” Glas said.

Several NCTO members previously joined the Vice President last year to announce their investments and sourcing commitments, including Parkdale Mills, Unifi, and SanMar.

“These are just a few of the key investments in the region, which illustrates how this co-production chain is continuing to make sustainable investments that strengthen supply chain resilience, create job opportunities and investment in the U.S. and the region, and ensure transparency in our supply chains, as momentum grows for onshoring and nearshoring textile and apparel production,” Glas said. “That is a win-win for our industry and the region.”

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NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers.

• U.S. employment in the textile supply chain was 534,000 in 2021.
• The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $65.2 billion in 2021.
• U.S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $28.4 billion in 2021.
• Capital expenditures for textiles and apparel production totaled $1.85 billion in 2020, the last year for which data is available.

CONTACT: Kristi Ellis

Vice President, Communications

(202) 684-3091

www.ncto.org

August 9, 2022

WASHINGTON –North Carolina textile executives spanning the fiber, yarn, fabric, and finished product textile industries participated in a roundtable discussion with Rep. Kathy Manning (D-NC) today, at which they discussed the innovative achievements and competitiveness of the domestic industry and outlined priority issues in Washington that impact their daily operations.

The roundtable discussion, hosted by Unifi Inc. and sponsored by the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), was held at Unifi’s headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina.

North Carolina is the second largest state employer of textile-related jobs, employing more than 30,000 jobs in 2021, according to U.S. government data. The state’s $2.7 billion in textile-related exports leads the nation, according to U.S. government data.

Congresswoman Manning’s visit comes at a pivotal time for the U.S. textile supply chain, which produced $65.2 billion in output in 2021 and employed nearly 535,000 workers. The industry has been at the forefront of domestic manufacturing of over 1 billion personal protective equipment (PPE) items during the COVID-19 pandemic..

During the roundtable, North Carolina executives showcased the industry’s important contribution to the state and the U.S. economy as well as its advanced sustainability initiatives, while outlining critical policies, such as the importance of Buy American and Berry Amendment government procurement policies, maintaining strong rules of origins in free trade agreements, supporting a domestic PPE production sector, and the need to address larger systemic trade issues with China.

“Unifi was thrilled to host Representative Manning with other NCTO leaders today at our Greensboro Headquarters.  We appreciate the time and consideration she gives to the critical issues in Washington that affect our workers and investment here in North Carolina and the entire region.” said Eddie Ingle, Chief Executive Officer of Unifi.

“In North Carolina, the textile industry is woven into the very fabric of our state and economy, with more than 33,000 workers employed in over 600 textile manufacturing facilities across the state. In Congress, I am committed to supporting our homegrown industry by making PPE in America, protecting the yarn forward rule of origin in our trade agreements, and cracking down on China’s unfair trade practices. I am thrilled to engage with industry leaders in my district, as we discuss ways to grow the U.S. textile industry and the critical role that textile manufacturers play in our local, state, and national economy,” said Congresswoman Kathy Manning (NC-06).

NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas said, “We deeply appreciate Congresswoman Manning’s participation in today’s industry roundtable where she engaged in substantive discussions around policies that help bolster U.S. manufacturing, while hearing directly from executives about the challenges confronting our industry. The diverse U.S. textile industry is technically advanced and highly innovative and provides jobs to local communities in North Carolina and across the country. It is imperative that we have sound trade and government procurement policies that help the U.S. industry continue to grow jobs and contribute to the overall U.S. economy. We look forward to continuing to work with the congresswoman on policies that will help drive more onshoring and nearshoring to the U.S. and the Western Hemisphere, support strong government procurement policies centered around American-made products and lead to strong enforcement of illegal trade practices.”

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NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers.

• U.S. employment in the textile supply chain was 534,000 in 2021.
• The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $65.2 billion in 2021.
• U.S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $28.4 billion in 2021.
• Capital expenditures for textiles and apparel production totaled $1.85 billion in 2020, the last year for which data is available.

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CONTACT:

Kristi Ellis

Vice President, Communications

National Council of Textile Organizations

kellis@ncto.org |  202.684.3091

August 5, 2022

WASHINGTON – A U.S. congressional delegation visited textile and apparel facilities in an industrial park in Choloma, Honduras today.  They witnessed first-hand the significant investments, expansions, and job creation in the country’s textile and apparel sector and the USA fibers and yarns utilized in the production process.

The delegation, led by Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight, Management and Accountability toured several companies with facilities in Honduras, including Parkdale Mills, Elcatex, and SanMar, all of which are expanding their footprint in the region.

Reps. John Katko (R-NY), ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, and Tony Gonzales (R-TX) also joined the delegation, which included U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Honduras Laura Dogu, U.S. military officials, U.S. embassy officials and U.S. and Honduran industry executives.

These new investments in the industrial park were recently highlighted by Vice President Kamala Harris who is calling on private industry to promote economic opportunity in the region to address the root causes of migration.

In addition, this delegation is meeting with other top-level U.S. and Honduran textile and apparel executives to discuss this critically important co-production chain.

The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) has spawned a textile and apparel coproduction chain, resulting in $12.6 billion in two-way trade and hundreds of millions of dollars in investments in the region. Nearly $1 billion of historic textile and apparel investment is anticipated this year alone.

Rep. Correa said, “Today’s visit to Honduras’s textile and apparel plants highlights the region’s substantial progress and growth in job creation. Seeing first-hand the significant investments, expansions and job creation that have taken place in the Honduras textiles and apparel sector demonstrates the region’s commitment to supporting the region’s long-term development, which includes measures to foster economic opportunities. I alongside with my colleagues will continue to collaborate with Central American countries to ensure that we are expanding job creation and working with our allies to continue to promote stability and progress in the Northern Triangle.”

“I am extremely grateful to our hosts for allowing us to visit these facilities firsthand and better understand economic development in the region. Importantly, these investments will improve supply chain security by advancing nearshoring and onshoring of textiles and apparel that I hope to see replicated in other industries critical to the U.S. economy,” said Rep. Katko. “I look forward to sharing what I have learned with my colleagues in Washington so we can continue to build on this progress.”

NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas said, “We deeply appreciate this visit to the Honduran textile and apparel industry by this congressional leadership team, our Ambassador, and government officials. The critical importance of the U.S.-CAFTA-DR to the region and the significant investments that is being made by this sector cannot be overstated. This agreement and the textile rules included has driven massive investment and support over 530,000 jobs in the region and 500,000 in Central America.  This is a pivotal moment for the coproduction chain between the U.S. and regional textile and apparel industries, in light of onshoring and nearshoring trends. We look forward to working with Congress, the administration, and our regional partners on fostering event stronger ties and growth in the hemisphere.”

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NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers.

• U.S. employment in the textile supply chain was 534,000 in 2021.
• The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $65.2 billion in 2021.
• U.S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $28.4 billion in 2021.
• Capital expenditures for textiles and apparel production totaled $1.85 billion in 2020, the last year for which data is available.

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CONTACT:

Kristi Ellis

Vice President, Communications

National Council of Textile Organizations

kellis@ncto.org |  202.684.3091

WASHINGTON—The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), representing the full spectrum of U.S. textiles from fiber through finished sewn products, issued a statement today welcoming House passage of the America COMPETES Act, a legislative package that will help close the de minimis loophole on duty-free imports from China and also renew the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB), both important provisions to U.S. textile manufacturers.

“We commend the House for passing this sweeping legislation, which contains several critical trade provisions beneficial to American manufacturers,” said NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas. “This legislation contains a provision that would effectively prohibit China from exploiting the Section 321 de minimis mechanism in U.S. trade law, a win for U.S. textile producers and workers.”

“We sincerely thank Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) for working diligently to include and preserve his Import Security Fairness Act in the underlying U.S. competitiveness bill. This bill would help close the de minimis loophole, which allows imports valued under $800 to come into the United States without paying duties and taxes, bypassing inspections by U.S. Customs and providing a backdoor to Chinese goods produced with forced labor. The loophole has not only fueled the rise of imports from foreign e-commerce companies and mass distributors, but it has also put our domestic manufacturers and workers at a competitive disadvantage.”

Another important provision in the legislation renews the MTB for two years, which would extend limited tariff relief on a range of manufacturing inputs used by U.S. textile producers.

In closing, NCTO’s Glas stated: “NCTO worked closely with our allies in the House on these provisions in the underlying bill and we commend their hard work and support. We will continue to push for these critical provisions that benefit the U.S. textile industry in Senate-House conference negotiations in the coming days.”

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NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers.

• U.S. employment in the textile supply chain was 530,000 in 2020.
• The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $64.4 billion in 2020.
• U.S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $25.4 billion in 2020.
• Capital expenditures for textiles and apparel production totaled $2.38 billion in 2019, the last year for which data is available.

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Kristi Ellis

Vice President, Communications

National Council of Textile Organizations

kellis@ncto.org  |  202.684.3091

WASHINGTON – Milliken & Company and American & Efird (A&E) hosted United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Katherine Tai in two separate visits to the companies’ state-of-the-art textile manufacturing facilities today, marking an unprecedented visit to the heart of the U.S. textile industry in the Carolinas by the nation’s top trade chief.

Ambassador Tai’s visit comes at a pivotal time for the U.S. textile supply chain, which produced $64 billion in output in 2020 and employed nearly 530,000 workers. The industry has been at the forefront of a domestic production chain manufacturing over a billion personal protective equipment (PPE) items during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ambassador’s visit to Milliken included a tour of the company’s Magnolia plant in Blacksburg, S.C., and a roundtable discussion highlighting the important role women contribute to textiles, the critical need for policies supporting a domestic supply chain, and the significant impact of the sector to the U.S. economy. Milliken is one of the largest textile companies in the U.S., employing more than 6,000 associates domestically and an additional 1,350 associates globally. Milliken’s Textile Business alone employs 2,500 people across eight counties in South Carolina and is the fourth largest manufacturing employer in the Upstate.

“Milliken is honored to host Ambassador Tai at our Magnolia plant to discuss not only the invaluable contributions we make every day to our community and our nation, but also the importance of sound trade policies that bolster domestic production and the co-production chains we have built, in particular with our Western Hemisphere trading partners,” said Chad McAllister, executive vice president of Milliken & Company and president, Textile Business. “To have Ambassador Tai on-site at one of our U.S. facilities is an opportunity to showcase our breadth of innovation in the industry and our passionate team of American workers who help our business succeed. We are fortunate and thankful for Ambassador Tai’s leadership as well as her commitment to understanding the challenges and opportunities of our industry.”

U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai said, “I want to thank NCTO for organizing this event. As United States Trade Representative, I am committed to helping all of your companies build on the success by finding market opportunities and helping reach new customers. I want to ensure that our trade policy matches the innovation and changes happening in the textiles industry. With your help, we can continue addressing critical issues. In doing so, we will help the textiles industry maintain its competitive edge and ensure it remains a global standard-bearer in the years to come.”

On the second leg of her trip, Ambassador Tai visited American & Efird’s manufacturing facility in Mount Holly, N.C. American & Efird operates as part of Elevate Textiles and its global portfolio of advanced products and distinguished textile brands, including A&E, Burlington, Cone Denim, Gütermann and Safety Components, and representing more than 500 years of textile manufacturing knowledge.

 During the visit, U.S. textile executives spanning the fiber, yarn, fabric, and finished product textile and apparel industry participated in a roundtable with the Ambassador at which they discussed the competitiveness of the domestic industry, outlined priority issues in Washington, such as the importance of the Western Hemisphere co-production chain and ways to jointly support domestic supply chains through Buy American and Berry Amendment policies that help onshore production, spur investment, maintain the safety and security of our armed forces and generate new jobs.

“It was an honor hosting Ambassador Tai at our manufacturing facility in Mount Holly, employing 380 valued associates and just 2 miles from where the company started 130 years ago,” said Sim Skinner, CEO of Elevate Textiles. “A&E maintains a significant manufacturing footprint in the Carolinas with 1,200 total associates, and we contribute significantly to our local community and the entire manufacturing base in the United States, touching every aspect of life, from the threads in Superbowl footballs to flags on the moon and most recently, to the very PPE products protecting our frontline heroes and fellow Americans against COVID-19 and the Space X suits that are orbiting Earth right now.  We had an engaging discussion with the Ambassador on our company’s and industry’s innovation and competitiveness, and on the policy priorities that we believe will help ensure our competitiveness and long-term investment in the domestic textile industry.”

National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) President and CEO Kim Glas said, “We want to sincerely thank Ambassador Tai for visiting Milliken and American & Efird today. Her leadership in the international trade policy arena and her understanding of the unique challenges confronting domestic manufacturers and U.S. workers under the international trade system is unparalleled. The U.S. textile industry is one of the most dynamic, innovative industries in the U.S. economy and our co-production chain with our Western Hemisphere trade partners is essential.  Trade policies are essential to this manufacturing sector and workforce. We look forward to working closely with the Ambassador and her office to advance policies that bolster domestic production.

“We are grateful to Ambassador Tai for participating in an engaging and substantive discussion with industry leaders today on a whole host of policies, ranging from the importance of Buy American and Berry Amendment government procurement policies to maintaining strong rules of origins in free trade agreements to the need to address larger systemic trade issues with China.”

About American & Efird (A&E)

A&E, a portfolio company of Elevate Textiles, is the foremost manufacturer and distributor of premium quality industrial and consumer sewing thread, embroidery thread and technical textiles.  Producers of apparel, automotive components, home furnishings, medical supplies, footwear and a diverse range of industrial products rely on A&E industrial sewing thread to manufacture their products.  Customers select A&E as the preferred choice because of A&E’s dedication to providing its customers with the finest products and services, at the highest quality, delivered globally.   In addition to A&E’s steadfast commitment to superior quality and customer service, A&E is a recognized industry leader in environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility, and operates its global facilities with the utmost regard for the safety and health of its associates employed worldwide. 

About Milliken & Company
Materials science expert Milliken & Company knows that a single molecule has the potential to change the world. With innovative solutions across the textile, flooring, specialty chemical, and healthcare industries, Milliken answers some of the world’s greatest challenges. Named to the World’s Most Ethical Companies list by Ethisphere Institute for 15 straight years, the company meets the moment with an unwavering commitment to delivering sustainable solutions for its customers and communities. Eight thousand associates across 46 locations globally rally behind a common purpose: to positively impact the world for generations. Discover more about Milliken’s curious minds and inspired solutions at milliken.com and on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.  

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NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers.

• U.S. employment in the textile supply chain was 530,000 in 2020.
• The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $64.4 billion in 2020.
• U.S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $25.4 billion in 2020.
• Capital expenditures for textiles and apparel production totaled $2.38 billion in 2019, the last year for which data is available.

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Press Contacts:

NCTO

Kristi Ellis

(202) 281-9305

kellis@ncto.org

Milliken & Company

Cammie Mackie

(864)316-3503

Cammie.Mackie@Milliken.com

American & Efird

Kristen Hughes

(704)830-6268

kristen.hughes@elevatetextiles.com