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Overview
The
U.S. textile industry, its domestic suppliers and
customers are comprised of the following: the
textile industry; suppliers in the cotton, wool, and
man-made fiber sectors; the U.S. textile machinery
and textile chemical industries; and our customers
in the U.S. apparel industry.
The U.S. textile industry,
suppliers and our customers are an important
component of the U.S. economy and are found in every
region of the country. The industry provides much
needed jobs in rural areas and has functioned as a
springboard for workers out of poverty into good
paying jobs for generations. The industry is also a
key contributor to our national defense and supplies
over 8,000 products a year to our men and women in
uniform.
Over the past 30 years, the
industry has become a major factor in hi-tech
innovation.
Textile products are now major components in
everything from heart valves and stents to aircraft
bodies and advanced body armor. In fact, in 2009
the textile sector alone contributed $29.3 billion to
the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. The U.S.
textile industry consumed nearly 1.7 billion pounds
of U.S. grown cotton in 2010.
Investment
The U.S. textile industry
invested more than $15 billion from 2001-2009.
This has allowed the U.S. industry to increase
productivity gains that have surpassed all other
sectors. Investment has been crucial for the
global competitiveness of the U.S. industry.
The U.S. textile industry is export intensive, and
is the third largest textile exporter in the world.
Exports
The U.S. textile industry is the
third largest textile exporter in the world.
The industry primarily exports yarns and fabrics.
Textile exports in 2010 totaled over $15 billion
dollars. The industry exports to more than 50
countries, including 16 with export markets that
purchase in excess of $100 million.
Role of Mills in Small
Towns and Rural Communities
U.S. textile plants are located
primarily in small rural communities in the
Southeast and oftentimes provide a major source of
tax revenue and employment for the small towns and
cities surrounding the textile mill. Textile
mill jobs are highly sought after in their
communities, with pay substantially higher than
average wages for jobs in the service and retail
industry. In 2010, textile workers on average earned
155% more than clothing store workers ($559 a week
vs. $219). Benefits are better too, and
include health care as well as retirement savings
opportunities.
Many U.S. textile companies
provide unrelated yet important services to their
communities. For example: several companies
provide college scholarships to the children of
employees and in some cases to those in the local
communities; fund recreation centers; sports teams;
provide lighting in downtown areas, and fund holiday
and seasonal community events. Therefore, when a
textile mill downsizes or closes its doors
altogether, the entire community feels the
ramifications.
Employment
The combined U.S. textile
industry -- including cotton and man-made fiber
producers, textile mills, apparel plants and textile
machinery producers -- is a large employer in the
United States. Currently there are nearly 600,000
workers employed by the industry. The breakdown is
textile mills 124,000; textile product mills
123,000; apparel 165,000; cotton 116,275; and
man-made fiber 26,751.
Supporting the U.S.
Military
The U.S. military purchases over
8,000 different textile products each year.
Textiles are vital for uniforms, parachutes, tents,
and a variety of other products that keep our
service members safe. In times of conflict and
peace, the U.S. textile industry is reliable for its
fast response and high quality products and
materials supplied to all branches of the U.S.
military. Most importantly, in time of need,
U.S. manufacturers are the most secure source for
our military rather than relying on foreign
manufacturers for uniforms and equipment/gear made
from textiles.
The
United States Armed Forces'
Defense Supply Center - Philadelphia,
the purchasing divisions for the Department of
Defense, estimates that over 8,000 different textile
items are purchased annually for use by the U.S.
military, and this figure actually rises to over
30,000 line items when individual sizes are factored
into the item mix. The U.S. textile industry
provides over $2 billion a year in vital equipment
for our armed forces. As domestic suppliers,
U.S. textile mills provide the highest quality goods
on a timetable that our armed forces demand.
Innovation & Education
The colleges and universities are at the epicenter
for innovation and technological advancement of the
domestic industry.
Innovative discovery has transformed this
industry from the seventeenth century era of the
handloom to the twenty-first century era of
polyester- textile heart valve prosthesis and
nanotube textile body armor.
Below there are listings of leading colleges and
universities that offer textile engineering programs
while conducting cutting edge research to further
advance the industry.
While the list is not exhaustive, NCTO has
worked to compile a list of the leading universities
in textiles and applied materials.
[TC]2 - Textile / Clothing Technology Corporation
Auburn University, Auburn AL
Clemson University,
Clemson SC
Georgia Tech, Atlanta
GA
North Carolina State
University, Raleigh NC
Philadelphia
University, Philadelphia PA
University of
Massachusetts at Dartmouth
Textile Universities in the U.S.A.
Textile Connect
Textile Connect is a holistic, knowledge-intensive,
innovative, global, collaborative, and flexible
website designed to connect textile complex
companies, events, resources, and product and market
information, from various government, industry, and
academic sources to the North and South Carolina
textile complex.
NCTO Members
Key Facts about the
U.S. Textile Industry
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