The 4th of July is an American holiday unlike any other, complete with backyard BBQs, parades, national concerts, and, of course, fireworks. At the height of summer, Americans across the country gather to celebrate our unique history and the values that define the American spirit of independence.
In that same spirit, the National Council of Textile Organizations celebrates Independence Day this year with a look at the history of the U.S. textile industry, which has played a remarkable role in America’s industrial and economic independence through a history of significant investment, employment, and technological development and innovation.
The birth of the textile industry in the U.S. coincides with our independence from England. Despite England’s best attempts to monopolize textile production by forbidding the exportation of textile technology and intellectual property, creative minds found their path to the States not long after the U.S. gained its independence in 1776 (2020, Frederic Magazine, Innovation or Bust! The Surprising Story of New England’s Textile Heyday).
In 1789, Samuel Slater, who would come to be known as the father of American Manufacturing, immigrated to the U.S. with the goal of establishing the country’s first textile mill. He did just that in 1791 by establishing the first yarn mill through his partnership with American entrepreneur and abolitionist Moses Brown. Shortly after, in 1793, American inventor Eli Whitney developed the cotton gin, rapidly increasing the efficiency of sorting cotton seed from cotton fiber. These two critical innovations paved the way for Francis Cabot Lowell, an American merchant, to build the first integrated textile factory in the United States, capable of converting raw cotton into finished cloth in one mill. The ingenuity and efforts of these pioneers in the textile sector marked the start of the Industrial Revolution in America, which allowed the U.S. to establish the economic freedom and security it needed to grow as a young nation. (ibid.)
Now, more than 200 years later, America still boasts a vibrant, multifaceted textile industry that employs 538,067 workers nationwide. From textile fibers to apparel and other sewn products, the industry excels at producing high-tech, innovative solutions for both the American and global market alike. In fact, the United States is the world leader in textile research and development, with the U.S. textile complex developing next generation textile materials such as conductive fabric with anti-static properties, electronic textiles that can monitor heart rate and other vital signs, antimicrobial fibers, and new fabrics capable of adapting to the climate to make the wearer warmer or cooler. These developments make the U.S. textile industry, along with its suppliers and customers, an important component of the U.S. economy. The industry also provides much needed jobs in rural areas and has functioned as a springboard for workers out of poverty into good paying jobs for generations.
Despite these successes, the industry has faced extreme competition from overseas producers for more than 40 years. While such competition helps to foster incredible innovation amongst American textile companies to remain viable, the U.S. textile industry has consistently dealt with an uneven global playing field due to rampant foreign subsidies, closed offshore markets, and substandard environmental and human labor conditions. These varying standards result in a global sourcing entities seeking lowest-cost products often of poor quality and built on massive carbon emissions from distant supply chains and even forced labor (2023 Sourcing Journal, Forced Labor and the De Minimis Loophole: Two Sides of the Same Coin)
Further, the offshoring of such a critical industry, responsible for manufacturing products of key importance to our national health and defense, poses national security risks. This risk was made fully apparent at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when American citizens, hospitals and frontline workers found themselves unable to access critical personal protective equipment (PPE) due to the complete offshoring of supply chains to low-cost overseas’ competitors. In response, the American textile industry made heroic efforts to retool production and operations virtually overnight, producing millions of face masks, isolation gowns, testing swabs and other critical medical textiles when our country needed it most.
Despite these heroic actions and the coinciding investments that were made by American business owners, these critical supply chains are already at risk of being offshored again. To ensure that they do not, it is critical that the federal government expeditiously implement recently adopted legislation governing domestic procurement, such as the Make PPE in America Act. This legislation, which resulted from the harsh lessons learned during the supply chain crises of COVID-19, is designed to reshore and maintain a strategic PPE production chain in the United States by requiring that the Departments of Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs procure only PPE that is wholly made (i.e., 100 percent made in the USA, from the production of the fiber to the yarn, fabric, and finished product) and assembled in the U.S. This important legislation also requires a contract duration for federally procured PPE of no less than two years. Such long-term commitments provide domestic manufacturers with a consistent demand signal that allows them to invest, plan, develop and deliver the medical protective goods our government and nation depend on for safety and security.
At the same time, the research and development needed to produce such innovations requires significant financial commitments. From 2012 to 2021, the U.S. textile industry invested $20.9 billion in new plants and equipment. During this time, U.S. manufacturers opened new facilities throughout the textile production chain, including recycling facilities to convert textile and other waste to new textile uses and resins. These advancements reveal the direct relationship between investment, innovation, and long-term competitiveness. To survive in the constantly evolving and increasingly competitive landscape that dictates textile and apparel production, companies must constantly develop new ways to manufacture inputs and goods more efficiently.
It does not take much to see why U.S. textiles are a quintessential story of American spirit and industry. So, as we take this holiday to pause and celebrate the individual and economic freedoms we enjoy daily, let us also celebrate the rich history of American textiles as a critical part of industrial importance. Thanks to manufacturing efforts such as theirs, American citizens can access everything from high-quality everyday textile items to sophisticated textile technologies. By keeping critical supply chains and their research close to home, Americans are guaranteed more sustainable and reliable access to essential products when we need them most.
As we celebrate the 4th of July and American independence, we recognize that many of our forefathers took sizable business and investment risks that has helped foster our modern economy from which we all benefit today. And a strong economy allows us to safeguard our independence.
American manufacturing needs Congress and the Administration’s continued support to help shape trade and economic policies that provide a level-playing field for the U.S. industry. Please contact the National Council of Textile Organizations to discuss how you can support the domestic textile and apparel industries in their efforts to reshore and regionalize supply chains and strengthen U.S. manufacturing.
http://www.textilesinthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/logo-header.png00nctohttp://www.textilesinthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/logo-header.pngncto2023-06-30 09:09:302023-07-19 14:41:49NCTO Celebrates American Independence, Innovation & Textiles
(Op-Ed by NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas featured in Sourcing Journal and found on its site here.)
In a classic example of the government’s left hand not working in concert with the right, two contrary policies are facilitating the importation of millions of products into the U.S. market each day to unknowing consumers likely purchasing items made with forced labor and counterfeit products.
And it continues to put American manufacturers, workers, and consumers at risk without a legislative fix.
The policies at the heart of the issue are the recently implemented Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) and a little-known legal trade mechanism dubbed “Section 321 de minimis,” in U.S. trade law that is in turn being exploited by Chinese e-commerce companies, online marketplaces and other mass marketers.
The de minimis mechanism allows a package of goods valued at $800 or less per person to come into the country duty-free every day. With the explosion of e-commerce shipments in recent years, it is now being aggressively used by Chinese e-commerce companies and other mass marketers that are shipping in millions of products directly to consumers that otherwise would be subject to tariffs, penalty tariffs, taxes, and customs inspection.
According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, there is a “big problem” with U.S. efforts to stop imports of Chinese products made with forced labor due to the de minimis loophole that allows millions of shipments duty-free that require little paperwork and are largely uninspected.
While Congressnever intended for banned products made with forced labor in Xinjiang, China, to enter the U.S. market through the de minimis provision, every day, more than 2 million uninspected shipments enter the U.S. market exploiting this loophole.
In fact, the flood of de minimis shipments into the U.S. has turned into a virtual tsunami, soaring more than 350 percent over the past 6 years and overwhelming our ports and the government’s ability to adequately enforce bans on counterfeits, fentanyl and other illicit drugs, and goods made with forced labor. De minimis shipments have undoubtedly spiked in recent years beyond the 2 million shipments U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) estimated were arriving per day in fiscal year 2021. This compares to fiscal 2016—the year Congress increased the de minimis threshold from $200 to $800—when CBP data estimated 150 million shipments entered the U.S. annually.
So, an efficiency tool for the Customs service, originally intended to take the burden off the agency on low-value items such as souvenirs brought back by tourists, has now been reportedly exploited by e-commerce companies and mass marketers for business efficiencies to skirt tariffs and the UFLPA—a glaring contradiction that undermines the efficacy of laws and Customs regulations and a huge win for China.
In effect, U.S. textile producers and other manufacturers are not only competing with forced labor production, but an import duty scheme that rewards such behavior in the form of a tariff subsidy. All of this is occurring in clear violation of the UFLPA. The exploitation of de minimis translates into a “de maximis” impact on domestic textile companies and those in our Free Trade Agreement partner countries.
While Congress raised the duty-free limit for de minimis shipments from $200 to $800 seven years ago, the Chinese government keeps its own de minimis threshold to a meager $8.
Fortunately, congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle have recently sounded the alarm about the de minimis mechanism, how it is reportedly exploited by Chinese e-commerce companies such as Shein and other mass marketers, and the backdoor access it provides to products made with forced labor in Xinjiang.
In the latest congressional action, Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Neal Dunn (R-FL), and Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), introduced bipartisan legislation on Thursday in their respective chambers that would effectively prohibit non-market economies, including China and Russia, from exploiting the Section 321 de minimis mechanism. “The de minimis loophole is a threat to American competitiveness, consumer safety, and basic human rights,”said Rep. Blumenauer, who is ranking member on the House Ways & Means Trade Subcommittee. “It is used by primarily Chinese companies to ship over two million packages a day into the United States. It puts American businesses at a competitive disadvantage while flooding American consumers with undoubtedly harmful products.”
Separately, a group of more than two dozen bipartisan House members sent a letter to the acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, expressing concern that Shein and other companies with direct-to-consumer business models may be “actively skirting import restrictions and evading CBP enforcement, selling goods in the U.S. in violation of the UFLPA” by using the de minimis mechanism. The lawmakers pointed to a Bloomberg News investigative report, in which lab testing conducted by the news outlet reportedly turned up cotton from Xinjiang in Shein’s apparel products.
House Ways & Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) recently agreedthis is a major problem. “It appears that loophole is almost an $800 free trade agreement for China for any products underneath that,” Smith said at a recent hearing.
And the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) recently opened a probe into companies and brands at the center of allegations over tainted apparel tied to forced labor in Xinjiang and the reported abuse of the de minimis loophole.
The stakes are high. It is time for Congress to take a stand and fully close the de minimis loophole. Failure to do so not only undermines the intention of the UFLPA, but also indirectly bolsters forced labor abroad.
Due to exploitative business practices, de minimis and forced labor have become two sides of the same coin. This coin should be taken out of circulation.
Kim Glas is the president and CEO of the National Council of Textile Organizations and is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles and Apparel at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
http://www.textilesinthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/logo-header.png00Kristi Ellishttp://www.textilesinthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/logo-header.pngKristi Ellis2023-06-21 12:24:142023-06-22 10:43:10Forced Labor and the De Minimis Loophole: Two Sides of the Same Coin
At 1pm on Wednesday, July 12, NCTO will conduct a webinar to introduce Bluecrew, a W-2 staffing platform, designed to meet the challenge of labor demand across the light industrial, manufacturing, and transportation/distribution industries. During the webinar, representatives from Bluecrew will provide an overview of the platform and its services, with a tailored look at how the platform can help solve labor shortages across our industry.
To preview this event, please view the below Q&A NCTO conducted with Bluecrew:
What is Bluecrew?
Bluecrew’s workforce as a service helps businesses address the challenges of variable demand by combining an agile high-quality workforce, powerful management technology, and actionable data. Our platform gives workplaces instant access to 100k+ W-2 hourly workers who are prequalified, background checked, and e-verified.
What makes Bluecrew different from other staffing and labor recruitment services?
Traditional: It takes about 24 days to fill an open job when you stick to the traditional method of hiring: coordinating a post with the agency, waiting for it to fill… and then hoping the worker(s) shows up. Our app gives you 24/7 instant access to qualified, prescreened W-2 workers, and positions are often filled in hours. And if they’re not, we have the data to tell you why.
Gig: We’re W-2 only, because high quality workers—and you—shouldn’t settle for less. With our platform + app, you can also schedule our Crew Members without the additional burden of worrying about misclassifying employees, missing a legal requirement, or providing your own benefits and insurance (saving you about 20% in labor costs in the process).
What types of jobs does Bluecrew fill?
Full or part-time, short or long-term, Bluecrew specializes in positions across the supply chain (manufacturing, warehousing, freight and logistics) and hospitality industries (hotels and lodging, food and beverage, events) but we’re constantly expanding the areas we support.
What makes Bluecrew an optimal solution for the textile industry specifically?
Because Bluecrew builds pools of workers who have gone through a background check, e-verification check, as well as additional onboarding prerequisites, we’re able to supply the textile industry the people you need when you need them. We can assist in long-term positions that could become permanent, or we could help out because you got an unexpected surge in business. Our platform is built to serve your needs.
Dr. Laurie-Ann Agama, Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles, who toured seven NCTO member companies’ state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities earlier this month, said she came away from the meetings with “a better and deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities U.S. manufacturers face in trade.”
Dr. Agama, who was accompanied by a U.S. textile trade team, experienced firsthand the industry’s innovation, resilience, and breadth of products in visits at the following NCTO member companies: Glen Raven, Parkdale Mills, Unifi, Gildan, Barnet, Standard Textile and Beverly Knits.
“We learned a lot about the trade issues affecting the textile industry and I come away from this trip with a better and deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities U.S. manufacturers face in trade – I have a number of specific case studies and stories to share which clearly illustrate how trade and commerce affect people and communities in the United States,” Dr. Agama said in an email to NCTO staff.
Her visit comes at a pivotal time for the U.S. textile industry, which produced $65.8 billion in output in 2022 and employed 538,000 workers. The broader textile supply chain in the U.S. is a critical manufacturing segment contributing to job growth, investments, and innovation. From 2012-2021, capital investment in U.S. yarn, fabric and apparel and sewn products manufacturing totals $20.9 billion.
In addition, U.S. textile companies have been strong partners with the administration’s “Call to Action” for Central America to address the root causes of outward migration, spurring $2 billion in textile and apparel investments in the region in the past 18 months and bolstering a vibrant co-production chain that supports more than 1 million workers in the U.S. and the region.
Washington policies matter now more than ever, particularly this year, in which the industry has seen weakening orders due to economic headwinds, a continuing glut of inventory at retail, and a production slowdown, which taken together, are creating a more challenging business environment for the industry. That is why an industry roundtable with industry executives at the end of Dr. Agama’s three-day tour hosted by Unifi in Greensboro, N.C. was imperative.
U.S. textile executives spanning the fiber, yarn, fabric, and finished product textile and apparel industries participated in the roundtable and outlined critical policies, such as: the importance of maintaining the yarn forward rule of origin in the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and other trade agreements; advancing the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) and its importance to domestic manufacturers; closing the de minimis loophole in U.S. trade law; addressing larger systemic trade issues, particularly the use of forced labor, with China; and upholding buy American and Berry Amendment government procurement policies.
“We gathered a lot of technical information and saw first-hand the innovation, automation, and investments that have been made to improve U.S. competitiveness and gathered insights on how trade and U.S. trade policy affect and could support the industry and their business decisions to increase jobs in the United States and Central America and could facilitate increased production and exports,” Dr. Agama said. “This tour further strengthened our already strong relationships and partnerships.”
NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas, who toured the facilities and participated in the industry roundtable, lauded the visit by Dr. Agama and the USTR textile team, noting “the substantive discussions provided critical insight into the importance of the U.S. textile industry to local economies and the overall U.S. economy, while giving textile executives an opportunity to demonstrate their innovative prowess and explain how Washington policies translate into everyday impact on their business operations.”
“We look forward to working closely with Dr. Agama, the USTR textile team, and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai to advance policies that incentivize domestic and regional manufacturing, while enforcing legislation that addresses illegal trade practices, such as forced labor and transshipments, that undermine this industry,” Glas said.
Dr. Agama concluded, “I look forward to continuing to work with you [NCTO and the industry] to increase U.S. textile trade, support industry’s efforts to create new jobs, provide good wages and benefits to their workers, and commitments to generate overall positive impacts in surrounding communities, especially in rural areas similar to those we visited and passed through in N.C. and S.C.”
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http://www.textilesinthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/logo-header.png00Kristi Ellishttp://www.textilesinthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/logo-header.pngKristi Ellis2023-06-21 10:11:042023-06-21 12:28:01Main Takeaways from Key Textile Trade Negotiator’s Visit to the Carolinas and the Heart of the American Textile Industry
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Dr. Laurie-Ann Agama, Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for Textiles, wrapped up a three-day visit of state-of-the art U.S. textile manufacturing facilities in North and South Carolina today, highlighting the importance of trade policies that bolster the competitiveness of the vibrant domestic supply chain that contributes significantly to the U.S. economy and workforce.
Dr. Agama, who advises the nation’s top trade chief on textile and apparel trade policy matters and conducts and oversees negotiations affecting textiles and apparel products, was joined by USTR textile trade officials in touring seven textile manufacturers including: Glen Raven, Barnet, Standard Textile, Parkdale Mills, Beverly Knits, Gildan, and Unifi.
Her three-day tour culminated today in an industry roundtable discussion with key textile executives hosted by Unifi, in Greensboro, N.C.
U.S. textile executives spanning the fiber, yarn, fabric, and finished product textile and apparel industries participated in the roundtable and outlined critical policies, such as: the importance of maintaining the yarn forward rule of origin in the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and other trade agreements; advancing the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) and its importance to domestic manufacturers; closing the de minimis loophole in U.S. trade law; addressing larger systemic trade issues, particularly the use of forced labor, with China; and upholding buy American and Berry Amendment government procurement policies.
“We deeply appreciate Assistant USTR Agama’s visit to the heart of the U.S. textile industry in North and South Carolina this week to meet with U.S. textile executives and experience first-hand the breadth of the industry’s innovation, advanced sustainability practices, capital investments and critical contributions to local economies and the U.S. economy as a whole,” said Kim Glas, president and CEO of NCTO. “The three-day visit by Dr. Agama and the USTR textile team included facility tours of several NCTO member companies, all of which have made major investments in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities that are part of a broader domestic industry supply chain that produced $65.8 billion in output in 2022 and employed 538,000 workers.”
Glas continued: “We are also grateful for Dr. Agama’s participation in the industry roundtable hosted by Unifi and substantive discussions around policy opportunities and challenges. We look forward to working closely with Dr. Agama, the USTR textile team and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai to advance policies that provide incentives for onshoring and nearshoring production and bolstering the industry’s competitiveness, while enforcing policies that address illegal trade practices that undermine this industry.”
“The U.S. textile industry has always been resilient, innovative, and a driving force of our nation’s competitiveness,” said Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles Dr. Laurie-Ann Agama. “For USTR, this local engagement and conversations underscore our need to create trade policies that put workers first and promote inclusive economic growth. The spinning, knitting, and weaving operations of the textile industry are at the center of many communities across the Carolinas. This was another opportunity to hear first-hand how we trade can create jobs that allow workers, businesses, and communities to thrive”.
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NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers.
S. employment in the textile supply chain was 538,067 in 2022.
The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $65.8 billion in 2022.
S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $34 billion in 2022.
Capital expenditures for textiles and apparel production totaled $2.27 billion in 2021, the last year for which data is available.
http://www.textilesinthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/logo-header.png00Kristi Ellishttp://www.textilesinthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/logo-header.pngKristi Ellis2023-06-07 14:45:052023-06-07 14:46:15Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles, Dr. Laurie-Ann Agama, Tours U.S. Textile Industry; Participates in Industry Roundtable
Every Memorial Day, Americans pause to honor the lives of those who have died serving our country as a member of the U.S. military. It is a day dedicated to their heroic sacrifices based on a belief in American values and the hope for a better future. It’s also a day for celebration. As the official kickoff to the summer season, it is a day for community, barbeques, and setting our minds to the warm summer days ahead.
In the spirit of honoring our military heroes and anticipating the excitement of summer, the National Council of Textile Organizations celebrates Memorial Day with a look at some of the unique aspects of the U.S. textile supply chain and its role in serving our heroes in uniform.
The history of the U.S. textile industry’s service to the U.S. military is as old as the military itself. From the uniforms soldiers rely on for protection from the elements to the flags hoisted high above our causes, American textiles have always held a critical role in military operations and symbolism.
That history of course still thrives today. As the face of modern warfare has evolved, U.S. textile technology has kept pace by consistently developing new, cutting-edge textile technology to ensure the top performance and protection our warfighters demand and deserve. Each year, the U.S. textile industry supplies over 8,000 different types of products, ranging from advanced body amor to aircraft bodies, to our men and women in uniform, making it a key contributor to our national defense and supplies.
Further, the development of textile innovations for military use plays a critical role in U.S. textile competitiveness within the global market, while giving consumers access to sophisticated textile products useful for their everyday lives. For example, everyday products from Kleenex to Kevlar are available today thanks to military-funded research and development. And it’s no surprise that textiles developed for military use are amongst the most innovative in the world. In fact, the United States is the world leader in textile research and development, with the U.S. textile complex developing next generation textile materials such as conductive fabric with anti-static properties, electronic textiles that can monitor heart rate and other vital signs, antimicrobial fibers, and new fabrics that adapt to the climate to make the wearer warmer or cooler. To ensure that the continued research and manufacturing needed to provide high-performance textile materials to the U.S. military comes from a reliable source in times of crisis, those products must be supplied by a vibrant American textile production chain.
Still, the research and development needed to produce such innovations requires significant financial commitments. From 2012 to 2021, the U.S. textile industry invested $20.9 billion in new plants and equipment. During this time, U.S. manufacturers opened new facilities throughout the textile production chain, including recycling facilities to convert textile and other waste to new textile uses and resins.
But industry cannot carry this financial burden alone. With extreme competition from offshore manufacturers with varying ethical and sustainability practices and oversight, U.S. textile manufacturers are often left competing against low-cost suppliers with substandard environmental, workplace safety and labor practices. As we saw at the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, our reliance on such offshore suppliers and their production chains leaves the U.S. vulnerable when confronted with a health pandemic or a serious challenge to our national security.
For that reason, it is beyond necessary to bolster our industry’s efforts to equip our military through federal legislation and procurement practices that prioritize domestic manufacturing. This can be done by preserving and expanding key legislation, such as the Kissell and Berry Amendments, which require the domestic production of textiles procured by the Department of Defense and some agencies within the Department of Homeland Security.. In addition, it is critical that we support international trade arrangements and free trade agreements that spur the use of domestic content, such as CAFTA-DR. These mechanisms, combined with the industry’s history of research-based innovation, are the backbone of the more than 30,000 textile manufacturing facilities both big and small across the United States that employ over 538,000 domestic workers who are responsible for an annual output of over $66 billion. Their combined efforts make the U.S. the third largest exporter of textile-related products globally.
It is also critical that our government agencies expeditiously implement recently adopted legislation governing domestic procurement, such as the Make PPE in America Act. This legislation, which resulted from the harsh lessons learned during the supply chain crises of COVID-19, is designed to reshore and maintain a strategic personal protective equipment (PPE) production chain in the United States by requiring that the Departments of Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs procure only PPE that is wholly made (i.e., 100 percent made in the USA, from the production of the fiber to the yarn, fabric, and finished product) and assembled in the U.S. This important legislation also requires a contract duration for federally procured PPE of no less than two years. Such long-term commitments provide domestic manufacturers with a consistent demand signal that allows them to invest, plan, develop and deliver the medical protective goods our government and nation depend on for safety and security.
It does not take much to see why U.S. textiles are a quintessential story of American spirit and industry. So, as we take this holiday to pause and celebrate our fallen heroes and the freedoms their sacrifices allow us to enjoy, let us also celebrate the rich history of American textiles as a critical part of our national defense. Thanks to manufacturing efforts such as theirs, American warfighters can rely on the highest quality, most sophisticated and dependable military uniforms, protective materials and gear that also drive the innovations for textile products average Americans use every day. By keeping critical supply chains and their research close to home, Americans are guaranteed more sustainable and reliable access to essential products when we need them most.
This Memorial Day, let’s remember the sacrifices of our fellow Americans and enjoy the life they fought to protect. As consumers, let’s prioritize American-made products and, by doing so, support our national defense and invest in our future.
http://www.textilesinthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/logo-header.png00Rebecca Tantillohttp://www.textilesinthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/logo-header.pngRebecca Tantillo2023-05-26 09:26:382023-06-21 12:58:06Memorial Day: Celebrating American Textiles & the U.S. Military
WASHINGTON –A bipartisan group of 38 lawmakers sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo urging her support of the current rules of origin in the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) that are working to spur significant investment and employment in the region.
The lawmakers also warned that attempts by certain importers to amend the rules would open the back door to China and significantly harm investment in the U.S. -CAFTA region and the vibrant textile and apparel co-production chain in the U.S. and the region, which employs more than one million workers.
“The rules of origin governing textile and apparel production and trade under CAFTA-DR have clear benefits and have strengthened our regional supply chains by fostering a stable business environment where American and regional manufacturers can thrive. We strongly urge you to continue following the longstanding CAFTA-DR short supply list process, which requires requestors to submit public petitions for review, and reject requests to circumvent it,” the letter states.
“Bypassing the existing short supply petition and review system could result in non-signatory nations gaining a backdoor entrance to CAFTA-DR benefits. We fear that the People’s Republic of China (PRC), as the dominant global supplier of yarns and fabrics, would be the major winner under this proposal,” they wrote.
Please also see a press release from Rep. McHenry here quoting NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas.
The letter, made public today, was sent in advance of a Senate Finance Subcommittee hearing titled, “Economic Cooperation for a Stronger and More Resilient Western Hemisphere,” scheduled for today at 3 pm.
Many in Congress and the administration have maintained support for a strong rules-based CAFTA-DR. Most recently, U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, voiced her strong support for the current CAFTA-DR rules in a special video presentation at NCTO’s annual meeting at the end of March. See her remarks here.
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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 538,067 in 2022.
The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $65.8 billion in 2022.
U.S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $34 billion in 2022.
Capital expenditures for textiles and apparel production totaled $2.27 billion in 2021, the last year for which data is available.
http://www.textilesinthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/logo-header.png00Kristi Ellishttp://www.textilesinthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/logo-header.pngKristi Ellis2023-05-16 15:47:032023-05-19 09:08:30Bipartisan Group of 38 Lawmakers Sends Letter to Secretary of Commerce Urging Support of Strong CAFTA-DR Rules of Origin & Warning Against Importer-led Attempts to Change Rules
Congressional and federal regulatory scrutiny of Chinese imports entering the U.S. through a trade loophole in U.S. trade law has intensified over the past few weeks, as calls to address and potentially change a little-known legal trade mechanism known as “Section 321 de minimis” continue to gain momentum.
Key Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill, including the House Ways & Means Chairman, the Chairman of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and senators have weighed in on this mechanism.
The de minimis provision of U.S. trade law allows a package of goods valued at $800 or less per person to come into the country duty free everyday through e-commerce. And it is now being aggressively used, letting millions of products into the U.S. market duty free that otherwise would be subject to tariffs, penalty tariffs, taxes and customs inspection.
In 2016, the U.S. government raised the de minimis threshold to $800 while the Chinese government kept its own threshold at meager $8. Since then, e-commerce shipments from China have exploded, reportedly driven in large part by Chinese e-commerce companies and other mass marketers, which have enjoyed meteoric growth.
In fact, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) estimates that we are on pace to hit over 1 billion in de minimis shipments this year alone, which equates to approximately 2.7 million shipments a day. This is estimated to be the highest spike in de minimis imports—up from 2 million shipments per day in fiscal year 2021. To provide further context to the alarming nature of this exponential growth in de minimis shipments, CBP data estimates that these shipments totaled only 150 million in fiscal 2016—the year Congress increased the de minimis threshold from $200 to $800.
Congressional leaders have recently sounded the alarm about the de minimis mechanism.
Most recently, Sen. Marco Rubio penned an op-ed published in Newsweek on the de minimis loophole that is reportedly allowing goods made with forced labor to enter into the United States unchecked and undermining the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). Sen. Rubio says it is time to “reevaluate our nation’s de minimis standards.”
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), ranking member on the Ways & Means trade subcommittee, who is the lead sponsor of legislation aimed at prohibiting goods from non-market economies that are also on a government trade watchlist–China—from benefiting from de minimis treatment, said at a House Ways & Means hearing on May 9 that he planned to reintroduce his legislation in this session of Congress, and he appeared to gain some support from Chairman Smith.
He said companies use “creative invoicing” on imported products or shipments valued at over the $800 de minimis threshold to take advantage of the duty-free benefits and evade inspection, noting the loophole is “swallowing the exception in ways that are really detrimental to American business and the safety of American consumers.”
And in what could prove to be a defining moment, House Ways & Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) agreed this is a major problem.
The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) recently opened a probe into companies and brands at the center of allegations over tainted apparel tied to forced labor in Xinjiang and the reported abuse of the de minimis loophole.
Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), chairman of the committee was recently on major news networks to voice concern about the aggressive use of the de minimis loophole and compliance with UFLPA. See the video clip here:
“The de minimis exception wasn’t supposed to be a loophole for foreign businesses looking to skirt human rights legislation and taxes,” Rep. Gallagher said. “It was meant to minimize the burden on customs agents actually.”
In addition, Democratic leaders from the China Select Committee have made recent comments. See a clip here:
The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) has been highly engaged on these issues for the past four years, raising concerns about the flagrant use of de minimis to facilitate nearly 3 million packages a day to the U.S., allowing tainted and counterfeit apparel and other consumer products to bleed into the U.S. market.
NCTO has testified at congressional hearings and engaged in numerous meetings with lawmakers and U.S. trade officials. She has also raised alarm over the issues in countless interviews and several op-eds.
As Glas notes in her op-eds, “At $800, the United States has one of the highest in the world. While we hold our door wide open, the Chinese government keeps its door virtually shut [to U.S. exports]. An $800 versus $8 limit is hardly a reciprocal arrangement. Instead, we’re unilaterally giving China a massive tax and trade concession. The very least we should do is match China’s threshold.”
Meanwhile, Congress passed, and the President signed into law, the ULFPA in December 2021, there has been global condemnation about the abuse of Uyghur minorities in Xinjiang, China and numerous exposés from prominent news outlets about the use of forced labor to make widely known global apparel brands and labels.
A Bloomberg report seemingly crystallized the connections through laboratory tests conducted by the news outlet that reportedly found garments shipped to the U.S. by Shein were made with cotton from China’s Xinjiang region.
This is clearly a case of two government policies—UFLPA and an outdated de minimis mechanism– working at cross-purposes. We are seeing the unintended consequence of one policy canceling out the other.
The de minimis mechanism is literally undermining efforts to hold China accountable, hurting American manufacturing competitiveness, and stifling the government’s ability to enforce the UFLPA.
Intensifying pressure on the two Chinese e-commerce giants to change their practices is a step in the right direction but to truly address the root cause of the problem, Congress should and can act to close the de minimis loophole.
Last year, the House of Representatives passed legislation with bipartisan support that is designed to close the de minimis loophole, but the legislation to date has stalled in Congress.
Closure of this loophole will prevent companies from overtly circumventing other measures to curb China’s illegal trade practices, including the 301 tariffs and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. And help level the playing field for American textile and apparel manufacturers.
http://www.textilesinthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/logo-header.png00Kristi Ellishttp://www.textilesinthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/logo-header.pngKristi Ellis2023-05-16 10:00:112023-05-16 09:03:10Congressional Scrutiny Intensifies Over De Minimis Loophole Bipartisan Concern Mounts
WASHINGTON –Glen Raven hosted Jennifer Knight, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles, Consumer Goods, Materials Industries, Critical Minerals and Metals with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, at the company’s state-of-the art manufacturing facility in Anderson, South Carolina today, where the company manufactures its Sunbrella® flagship brand. The company is beginning to scale a major expansion plan started in 2021, illustrating continued investment and growth by a leader in the U.S. textile industry and its importance to the U.S. economy.
“We were honored to host Deputy Assistant Secretary Knight at our Sunbrella facility in Anderson, South Carolina to give her a firsthand experience of our advanced manufacturing facilities, sustainable initiatives, and the passionate work of our U.S. manufacturing teams,” said Glen Raven CEO Leib Oehmig. “The opportunity to discuss with a key trade official the impact of our nation’s global trade polices on our company and our dedicated workers is invaluable. We highlighted the importance of Glen Raven’s contribution to our local communities, as well as the critical need to maintain a domestic textile and apparel industry and to promote policies that support a resilient and competitive supply chain, innovation and research and a vibrant and well-trained workforce. We are thankful for Deputy Assistant Secretary Knight’s commitment to understanding the challenges we face in the global trade arena and appreciate the dialogue we had with her here today.”
“Public-private sector engagement is key to supporting a competitive and resilient textile and apparel supply chain and I am pleased to visit Glen Raven, a prime example of our modern domestic textile industry with its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities for high-performance fabrics,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary Knight. “ITA continues to support American manufacturers and recognizes the importance of building an innovative, diverse and skilled workforce.”
Glen Raven, a family-owned company founded in 1880, operates five manufacturing facilities in North and South Carolina employing 2,500 people, including their joint venture with Shawmut Corporation. The company is currently in the process of scaling a $250 million multi-phase U.S. capacity expansion plan of its facilities and infrastructure to meet customer demand.
At Glen Raven, Knight toured Glen Raven’s Sunbrella® facilities, part of the company’s Custom Fabrics division, which includes flagship brands Sunbrella® and Dickson®. Glen Raven also has two other divisions, including Glen Raven Technical Fabrics with GlenGuard®, StrataTM and Glen Raven Logistics; and Trivantage, one of the nation’s largest business-to-business distributors for the awning, marine, upholstery and shade sail industries.
Glen Raven is a leader in the upholstery, marine, shading, automotive, military, geotextile, and protective workwear markets and operates national distribution and logistics subsidiaries.
Knight’s visit to Glen Raven’s Sunbrella® facilities comes at a critical time for the company and the U.S. textile supply chain, which produced $65.8 billion in output in 2021 and employed 538,000 workers. Glen Raven is part of the broader textile industry that is a critical manufacturing segment contributing to job growth, investments, and innovation. From 2012-2021, capital investment in U.S. yarn, fabric, apparel & sewn products manufacturing totals $20.9 billion.
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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 538,067 in 2022.
The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $65.8 billion in 2022.
U.S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $34 billion in 2022.
Capital expenditures for textiles and apparel production totaled $2.27 billion in 2021, the last year for which data is available.
In celebration of Earth Day, which falls on April 22 each year, the National Council of Textile Organizations is sharing media coverage and highlights of sustainable achievements and developments by the American textile and apparel industry thus far in 2023.
The U.S. textile industry, its domestic suppliers, and customers are an important component of the U.S. economy and are found in every region of the country. In addition, the domestic textile industry provides numerous advantages for a greener future, including transparent supply chains with a reduced carbon footprint for American consumers and leading innovations in eco-friendly production and in environmental standards and regulations.
We are happy to share the industry’s achievements for the year thus far. American textiles continue to look for new ways to improve current production standards and invent new solutions for the future. Join us in celebrating these amazing, sustainable achievements by American textiles. Happy Earth Day!
NCTO Celebrates American Independence, Innovation & Textiles
/in TIN Blog /by nctoThe 4th of July is an American holiday unlike any other, complete with backyard BBQs, parades, national concerts, and, of course, fireworks. At the height of summer, Americans across the country gather to celebrate our unique history and the values that define the American spirit of independence.
In that same spirit, the National Council of Textile Organizations celebrates Independence Day this year with a look at the history of the U.S. textile industry, which has played a remarkable role in America’s industrial and economic independence through a history of significant investment, employment, and technological development and innovation.
The birth of the textile industry in the U.S. coincides with our independence from England. Despite England’s best attempts to monopolize textile production by forbidding the exportation of textile technology and intellectual property, creative minds found their path to the States not long after the U.S. gained its independence in 1776 (2020, Frederic Magazine, Innovation or Bust! The Surprising Story of New England’s Textile Heyday).
In 1789, Samuel Slater, who would come to be known as the father of American Manufacturing, immigrated to the U.S. with the goal of establishing the country’s first textile mill. He did just that in 1791 by establishing the first yarn mill through his partnership with American entrepreneur and abolitionist Moses Brown. Shortly after, in 1793, American inventor Eli Whitney developed the cotton gin, rapidly increasing the efficiency of sorting cotton seed from cotton fiber. These two critical innovations paved the way for Francis Cabot Lowell, an American merchant, to build the first integrated textile factory in the United States, capable of converting raw cotton into finished cloth in one mill. The ingenuity and efforts of these pioneers in the textile sector marked the start of the Industrial Revolution in America, which allowed the U.S. to establish the economic freedom and security it needed to grow as a young nation. (ibid.)
Now, more than 200 years later, America still boasts a vibrant, multifaceted textile industry that employs 538,067 workers nationwide. From textile fibers to apparel and other sewn products, the industry excels at producing high-tech, innovative solutions for both the American and global market alike. In fact, the United States is the world leader in textile research and development, with the U.S. textile complex developing next generation textile materials such as conductive fabric with anti-static properties, electronic textiles that can monitor heart rate and other vital signs, antimicrobial fibers, and new fabrics capable of adapting to the climate to make the wearer warmer or cooler. These developments make the U.S. textile industry, along with its suppliers and customers, an important component of the U.S. economy. The industry also provides much needed jobs in rural areas and has functioned as a springboard for workers out of poverty into good paying jobs for generations.
Despite these successes, the industry has faced extreme competition from overseas producers for more than 40 years. While such competition helps to foster incredible innovation amongst American textile companies to remain viable, the U.S. textile industry has consistently dealt with an uneven global playing field due to rampant foreign subsidies, closed offshore markets, and substandard environmental and human labor conditions. These varying standards result in a global sourcing entities seeking lowest-cost products often of poor quality and built on massive carbon emissions from distant supply chains and even forced labor (2023 Sourcing Journal, Forced Labor and the De Minimis Loophole: Two Sides of the Same Coin)
Further, the offshoring of such a critical industry, responsible for manufacturing products of key importance to our national health and defense, poses national security risks. This risk was made fully apparent at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when American citizens, hospitals and frontline workers found themselves unable to access critical personal protective equipment (PPE) due to the complete offshoring of supply chains to low-cost overseas’ competitors. In response, the American textile industry made heroic efforts to retool production and operations virtually overnight, producing millions of face masks, isolation gowns, testing swabs and other critical medical textiles when our country needed it most.
Despite these heroic actions and the coinciding investments that were made by American business owners, these critical supply chains are already at risk of being offshored again. To ensure that they do not, it is critical that the federal government expeditiously implement recently adopted legislation governing domestic procurement, such as the Make PPE in America Act. This legislation, which resulted from the harsh lessons learned during the supply chain crises of COVID-19, is designed to reshore and maintain a strategic PPE production chain in the United States by requiring that the Departments of Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs procure only PPE that is wholly made (i.e., 100 percent made in the USA, from the production of the fiber to the yarn, fabric, and finished product) and assembled in the U.S. This important legislation also requires a contract duration for federally procured PPE of no less than two years. Such long-term commitments provide domestic manufacturers with a consistent demand signal that allows them to invest, plan, develop and deliver the medical protective goods our government and nation depend on for safety and security.
At the same time, the research and development needed to produce such innovations requires significant financial commitments. From 2012 to 2021, the U.S. textile industry invested $20.9 billion in new plants and equipment. During this time, U.S. manufacturers opened new facilities throughout the textile production chain, including recycling facilities to convert textile and other waste to new textile uses and resins. These advancements reveal the direct relationship between investment, innovation, and long-term competitiveness. To survive in the constantly evolving and increasingly competitive landscape that dictates textile and apparel production, companies must constantly develop new ways to manufacture inputs and goods more efficiently.
It does not take much to see why U.S. textiles are a quintessential story of American spirit and industry. So, as we take this holiday to pause and celebrate the individual and economic freedoms we enjoy daily, let us also celebrate the rich history of American textiles as a critical part of industrial importance. Thanks to manufacturing efforts such as theirs, American citizens can access everything from high-quality everyday textile items to sophisticated textile technologies. By keeping critical supply chains and their research close to home, Americans are guaranteed more sustainable and reliable access to essential products when we need them most.
As we celebrate the 4th of July and American independence, we recognize that many of our forefathers took sizable business and investment risks that has helped foster our modern economy from which we all benefit today. And a strong economy allows us to safeguard our independence.
American manufacturing needs Congress and the Administration’s continued support to help shape trade and economic policies that provide a level-playing field for the U.S. industry. Please contact the National Council of Textile Organizations to discuss how you can support the domestic textile and apparel industries in their efforts to reshore and regionalize supply chains and strengthen U.S. manufacturing.
Forced Labor and the De Minimis Loophole: Two Sides of the Same Coin
/in TIN Blog /by Kristi Ellis(Op-Ed by NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas featured in Sourcing Journal and found on its site here.)
In a classic example of the government’s left hand not working in concert with the right, two contrary policies are facilitating the importation of millions of products into the U.S. market each day to unknowing consumers likely purchasing items made with forced labor and counterfeit products.
And it continues to put American manufacturers, workers, and consumers at risk without a legislative fix.
The policies at the heart of the issue are the recently implemented Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) and a little-known legal trade mechanism dubbed “Section 321 de minimis,” in U.S. trade law that is in turn being exploited by Chinese e-commerce companies, online marketplaces and other mass marketers.
The de minimis mechanism allows a package of goods valued at $800 or less per person to come into the country duty-free every day. With the explosion of e-commerce shipments in recent years, it is now being aggressively used by Chinese e-commerce companies and other mass marketers that are shipping in millions of products directly to consumers that otherwise would be subject to tariffs, penalty tariffs, taxes, and customs inspection.
According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, there is a “big problem” with U.S. efforts to stop imports of Chinese products made with forced labor due to the de minimis loophole that allows millions of shipments duty-free that require little paperwork and are largely uninspected.
While Congress never intended for banned products made with forced labor in Xinjiang, China, to enter the U.S. market through the de minimis provision, every day, more than 2 million uninspected shipments enter the U.S. market exploiting this loophole.
In fact, the flood of de minimis shipments into the U.S. has turned into a virtual tsunami, soaring more than 350 percent over the past 6 years and overwhelming our ports and the government’s ability to adequately enforce bans on counterfeits, fentanyl and other illicit drugs, and goods made with forced labor. De minimis shipments have undoubtedly spiked in recent years beyond the 2 million shipments U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) estimated were arriving per day in fiscal year 2021. This compares to fiscal 2016—the year Congress increased the de minimis threshold from $200 to $800—when CBP data estimated 150 million shipments entered the U.S. annually.
So, an efficiency tool for the Customs service, originally intended to take the burden off the agency on low-value items such as souvenirs brought back by tourists, has now been reportedly exploited by e-commerce companies and mass marketers for business efficiencies to skirt tariffs and the UFLPA—a glaring contradiction that undermines the efficacy of laws and Customs regulations and a huge win for China.
In effect, U.S. textile producers and other manufacturers are not only competing with forced labor production, but an import duty scheme that rewards such behavior in the form of a tariff subsidy. All of this is occurring in clear violation of the UFLPA. The exploitation of de minimis translates into a “de maximis” impact on domestic textile companies and those in our Free Trade Agreement partner countries.
While Congress raised the duty-free limit for de minimis shipments from $200 to $800 seven years ago, the Chinese government keeps its own de minimis threshold to a meager $8.
Fortunately, congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle have recently sounded the alarm about the de minimis mechanism, how it is reportedly exploited by Chinese e-commerce companies such as Shein and other mass marketers, and the backdoor access it provides to products made with forced labor in Xinjiang.
In the latest congressional action, Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Neal Dunn (R-FL), and Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), introduced bipartisan legislation on Thursday in their respective chambers that would effectively prohibit non-market economies, including China and Russia, from exploiting the Section 321 de minimis mechanism. “The de minimis loophole is a threat to American competitiveness, consumer safety, and basic human rights,” said Rep. Blumenauer, who is ranking member on the House Ways & Means Trade Subcommittee. “It is used by primarily Chinese companies to ship over two million packages a day into the United States. It puts American businesses at a competitive disadvantage while flooding American consumers with undoubtedly harmful products.”
Separately, a group of more than two dozen bipartisan House members sent a letter to the acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, expressing concern that Shein and other companies with direct-to-consumer business models may be “actively skirting import restrictions and evading CBP enforcement, selling goods in the U.S. in violation of the UFLPA” by using the de minimis mechanism. The lawmakers pointed to a Bloomberg News investigative report, in which lab testing conducted by the news outlet reportedly turned up cotton from Xinjiang in Shein’s apparel products.
House Ways & Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) recently agreed this is a major problem. “It appears that loophole is almost an $800 free trade agreement for China for any products underneath that,” Smith said at a recent hearing.
And the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) recently opened a probe into companies and brands at the center of allegations over tainted apparel tied to forced labor in Xinjiang and the reported abuse of the de minimis loophole.
The stakes are high. It is time for Congress to take a stand and fully close the de minimis loophole. Failure to do so not only undermines the intention of the UFLPA, but also indirectly bolsters forced labor abroad.
Due to exploitative business practices, de minimis and forced labor have become two sides of the same coin. This coin should be taken out of circulation.
Kim Glas is the president and CEO of the National Council of Textile Organizations and is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles and Apparel at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Webinar: Bluecrew Staffing Solution – Save the Date!
/in TIN Blog /by Rebecca TantilloCLICK TO REGISTER
At 1pm on Wednesday, July 12, NCTO will conduct a webinar to introduce Bluecrew, a W-2 staffing platform, designed to meet the challenge of labor demand across the light industrial, manufacturing, and transportation/distribution industries. During the webinar, representatives from Bluecrew will provide an overview of the platform and its services, with a tailored look at how the platform can help solve labor shortages across our industry.
To preview this event, please view the below Q&A NCTO conducted with Bluecrew:
What is Bluecrew?
Bluecrew’s workforce as a service helps businesses address the challenges of variable demand by combining an agile high-quality workforce, powerful management technology, and actionable data. Our platform gives workplaces instant access to 100k+ W-2 hourly workers who are prequalified, background checked, and e-verified.
What makes Bluecrew different from other staffing and labor recruitment services?
Traditional: It takes about 24 days to fill an open job when you stick to the traditional method of hiring: coordinating a post with the agency, waiting for it to fill… and then hoping the worker(s) shows up. Our app gives you 24/7 instant access to qualified, prescreened W-2 workers, and positions are often filled in hours. And if they’re not, we have the data to tell you why.
Gig: We’re W-2 only, because high quality workers—and you—shouldn’t settle for less. With our platform + app, you can also schedule our Crew Members without the additional burden of worrying about misclassifying employees, missing a legal requirement, or providing your own benefits and insurance (saving you about 20% in labor costs in the process).
What types of jobs does Bluecrew fill?
Full or part-time, short or long-term, Bluecrew specializes in positions across the supply chain (manufacturing, warehousing, freight and logistics) and hospitality industries (hotels and lodging, food and beverage, events) but we’re constantly expanding the areas we support.
What makes Bluecrew an optimal solution for the textile industry specifically?
Because Bluecrew builds pools of workers who have gone through a background check, e-verification check, as well as additional onboarding prerequisites, we’re able to supply the textile industry the people you need when you need them. We can assist in long-term positions that could become permanent, or we could help out because you got an unexpected surge in business. Our platform is built to serve your needs.
To help tailor their presentation to the needs of NCTO members, we’ve developed a short, three-question survey. Please click here to complete the survey and provide your input.
Click here to REGISTER and mark your calendar for this special opportunity to gain hands-on insight into this workforce recruitment tool.
Main Takeaways from Key Textile Trade Negotiator’s Visit to the Carolinas and the Heart of the American Textile Industry
/in TIN Blog /by Kristi EllisDr. Laurie-Ann Agama, Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles, who toured seven NCTO member companies’ state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities earlier this month, said she came away from the meetings with “a better and deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities U.S. manufacturers face in trade.”
Dr. Agama, who was accompanied by a U.S. textile trade team, experienced firsthand the industry’s innovation, resilience, and breadth of products in visits at the following NCTO member companies: Glen Raven, Parkdale Mills, Unifi, Gildan, Barnet, Standard Textile and Beverly Knits.
“We learned a lot about the trade issues affecting the textile industry and I come away from this trip with a better and deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities U.S. manufacturers face in trade – I have a number of specific case studies and stories to share which clearly illustrate how trade and commerce affect people and communities in the United States,” Dr. Agama said in an email to NCTO staff.
Her visit comes at a pivotal time for the U.S. textile industry, which produced $65.8 billion in output in 2022 and employed 538,000 workers. The broader textile supply chain in the U.S. is a critical manufacturing segment contributing to job growth, investments, and innovation. From 2012-2021, capital investment in U.S. yarn, fabric and apparel and sewn products manufacturing totals $20.9 billion.
In addition, U.S. textile companies have been strong partners with the administration’s “Call to Action” for Central America to address the root causes of outward migration, spurring $2 billion in textile and apparel investments in the region in the past 18 months and bolstering a vibrant co-production chain that supports more than 1 million workers in the U.S. and the region.
Washington policies matter now more than ever, particularly this year, in which the industry has seen weakening orders due to economic headwinds, a continuing glut of inventory at retail, and a production slowdown, which taken together, are creating a more challenging business environment for the industry. That is why an industry roundtable with industry executives at the end of Dr. Agama’s three-day tour hosted by Unifi in Greensboro, N.C. was imperative.
U.S. textile executives spanning the fiber, yarn, fabric, and finished product textile and apparel industries participated in the roundtable and outlined critical policies, such as: the importance of maintaining the yarn forward rule of origin in the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and other trade agreements; advancing the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) and its importance to domestic manufacturers; closing the de minimis loophole in U.S. trade law; addressing larger systemic trade issues, particularly the use of forced labor, with China; and upholding buy American and Berry Amendment government procurement policies.
“We gathered a lot of technical information and saw first-hand the innovation, automation, and investments that have been made to improve U.S. competitiveness and gathered insights on how trade and U.S. trade policy affect and could support the industry and their business decisions to increase jobs in the United States and Central America and could facilitate increased production and exports,” Dr. Agama said. “This tour further strengthened our already strong relationships and partnerships.”
NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas, who toured the facilities and participated in the industry roundtable, lauded the visit by Dr. Agama and the USTR textile team, noting “the substantive discussions provided critical insight into the importance of the U.S. textile industry to local economies and the overall U.S. economy, while giving textile executives an opportunity to demonstrate their innovative prowess and explain how Washington policies translate into everyday impact on their business operations.”
“We look forward to working closely with Dr. Agama, the USTR textile team, and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai to advance policies that incentivize domestic and regional manufacturing, while enforcing legislation that addresses illegal trade practices, such as forced labor and transshipments, that undermine this industry,” Glas said.
Dr. Agama concluded, “I look forward to continuing to work with you [NCTO and the industry] to increase U.S. textile trade, support industry’s efforts to create new jobs, provide good wages and benefits to their workers, and commitments to generate overall positive impacts in surrounding communities, especially in rural areas similar to those we visited and passed through in N.C. and S.C.”
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Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles, Dr. Laurie-Ann Agama, Tours U.S. Textile Industry; Participates in Industry Roundtable
/in Press Releases, Recent News /by Kristi EllisWASHINGTON, D.C. – Dr. Laurie-Ann Agama, Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for Textiles, wrapped up a three-day visit of state-of-the art U.S. textile manufacturing facilities in North and South Carolina today, highlighting the importance of trade policies that bolster the competitiveness of the vibrant domestic supply chain that contributes significantly to the U.S. economy and workforce.
Dr. Agama, who advises the nation’s top trade chief on textile and apparel trade policy matters and conducts and oversees negotiations affecting textiles and apparel products, was joined by USTR textile trade officials in touring seven textile manufacturers including: Glen Raven, Barnet, Standard Textile, Parkdale Mills, Beverly Knits, Gildan, and Unifi.
Her three-day tour culminated today in an industry roundtable discussion with key textile executives hosted by Unifi, in Greensboro, N.C.
U.S. textile executives spanning the fiber, yarn, fabric, and finished product textile and apparel industries participated in the roundtable and outlined critical policies, such as: the importance of maintaining the yarn forward rule of origin in the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and other trade agreements; advancing the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) and its importance to domestic manufacturers; closing the de minimis loophole in U.S. trade law; addressing larger systemic trade issues, particularly the use of forced labor, with China; and upholding buy American and Berry Amendment government procurement policies.
“We deeply appreciate Assistant USTR Agama’s visit to the heart of the U.S. textile industry in North and South Carolina this week to meet with U.S. textile executives and experience first-hand the breadth of the industry’s innovation, advanced sustainability practices, capital investments and critical contributions to local economies and the U.S. economy as a whole,” said Kim Glas, president and CEO of NCTO. “The three-day visit by Dr. Agama and the USTR textile team included facility tours of several NCTO member companies, all of which have made major investments in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities that are part of a broader domestic industry supply chain that produced $65.8 billion in output in 2022 and employed 538,000 workers.”
Glas continued: “We are also grateful for Dr. Agama’s participation in the industry roundtable hosted by Unifi and substantive discussions around policy opportunities and challenges. We look forward to working closely with Dr. Agama, the USTR textile team and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai to advance policies that provide incentives for onshoring and nearshoring production and bolstering the industry’s competitiveness, while enforcing policies that address illegal trade practices that undermine this industry.”
“The U.S. textile industry has always been resilient, innovative, and a driving force of our nation’s competitiveness,” said Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles Dr. Laurie-Ann Agama. “For USTR, this local engagement and conversations underscore our need to create trade policies that put workers first and promote inclusive economic growth. The spinning, knitting, and weaving operations of the textile industry are at the center of many communities across the Carolinas. This was another opportunity to hear first-hand how we trade can create jobs that allow workers, businesses, and communities to thrive”.
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NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers.
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CONTACT:
Kristi Ellis
Vice President, Communications
National Council of Textile Organizations
kellis@ncto.org | 202.684.3091
Memorial Day: Celebrating American Textiles & the U.S. Military
/in TIN Blog /by Rebecca TantilloEvery Memorial Day, Americans pause to honor the lives of those who have died serving our country as a member of the U.S. military. It is a day dedicated to their heroic sacrifices based on a belief in American values and the hope for a better future. It’s also a day for celebration. As the official kickoff to the summer season, it is a day for community, barbeques, and setting our minds to the warm summer days ahead.
In the spirit of honoring our military heroes and anticipating the excitement of summer, the National Council of Textile Organizations celebrates Memorial Day with a look at some of the unique aspects of the U.S. textile supply chain and its role in serving our heroes in uniform.
The history of the U.S. textile industry’s service to the U.S. military is as old as the military itself. From the uniforms soldiers rely on for protection from the elements to the flags hoisted high above our causes, American textiles have always held a critical role in military operations and symbolism.
That history of course still thrives today. As the face of modern warfare has evolved, U.S. textile technology has kept pace by consistently developing new, cutting-edge textile technology to ensure the top performance and protection our warfighters demand and deserve. Each year, the U.S. textile industry supplies over 8,000 different types of products, ranging from advanced body amor to aircraft bodies, to our men and women in uniform, making it a key contributor to our national defense and supplies.
Further, the development of textile innovations for military use plays a critical role in U.S. textile competitiveness within the global market, while giving consumers access to sophisticated textile products useful for their everyday lives. For example, everyday products from Kleenex to Kevlar are available today thanks to military-funded research and development. And it’s no surprise that textiles developed for military use are amongst the most innovative in the world. In fact, the United States is the world leader in textile research and development, with the U.S. textile complex developing next generation textile materials such as conductive fabric with anti-static properties, electronic textiles that can monitor heart rate and other vital signs, antimicrobial fibers, and new fabrics that adapt to the climate to make the wearer warmer or cooler. To ensure that the continued research and manufacturing needed to provide high-performance textile materials to the U.S. military comes from a reliable source in times of crisis, those products must be supplied by a vibrant American textile production chain.
Still, the research and development needed to produce such innovations requires significant financial commitments. From 2012 to 2021, the U.S. textile industry invested $20.9 billion in new plants and equipment. During this time, U.S. manufacturers opened new facilities throughout the textile production chain, including recycling facilities to convert textile and other waste to new textile uses and resins.
But industry cannot carry this financial burden alone. With extreme competition from offshore manufacturers with varying ethical and sustainability practices and oversight, U.S. textile manufacturers are often left competing against low-cost suppliers with substandard environmental, workplace safety and labor practices. As we saw at the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, our reliance on such offshore suppliers and their production chains leaves the U.S. vulnerable when confronted with a health pandemic or a serious challenge to our national security.
For that reason, it is beyond necessary to bolster our industry’s efforts to equip our military through federal legislation and procurement practices that prioritize domestic manufacturing. This can be done by preserving and expanding key legislation, such as the Kissell and Berry Amendments, which require the domestic production of textiles procured by the Department of Defense and some agencies within the Department of Homeland Security.. In addition, it is critical that we support international trade arrangements and free trade agreements that spur the use of domestic content, such as CAFTA-DR. These mechanisms, combined with the industry’s history of research-based innovation, are the backbone of the more than 30,000 textile manufacturing facilities both big and small across the United States that employ over 538,000 domestic workers who are responsible for an annual output of over $66 billion. Their combined efforts make the U.S. the third largest exporter of textile-related products globally.
It is also critical that our government agencies expeditiously implement recently adopted legislation governing domestic procurement, such as the Make PPE in America Act. This legislation, which resulted from the harsh lessons learned during the supply chain crises of COVID-19, is designed to reshore and maintain a strategic personal protective equipment (PPE) production chain in the United States by requiring that the Departments of Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs procure only PPE that is wholly made (i.e., 100 percent made in the USA, from the production of the fiber to the yarn, fabric, and finished product) and assembled in the U.S. This important legislation also requires a contract duration for federally procured PPE of no less than two years. Such long-term commitments provide domestic manufacturers with a consistent demand signal that allows them to invest, plan, develop and deliver the medical protective goods our government and nation depend on for safety and security.
It does not take much to see why U.S. textiles are a quintessential story of American spirit and industry. So, as we take this holiday to pause and celebrate our fallen heroes and the freedoms their sacrifices allow us to enjoy, let us also celebrate the rich history of American textiles as a critical part of our national defense. Thanks to manufacturing efforts such as theirs, American warfighters can rely on the highest quality, most sophisticated and dependable military uniforms, protective materials and gear that also drive the innovations for textile products average Americans use every day. By keeping critical supply chains and their research close to home, Americans are guaranteed more sustainable and reliable access to essential products when we need them most.
This Memorial Day, let’s remember the sacrifices of our fellow Americans and enjoy the life they fought to protect. As consumers, let’s prioritize American-made products and, by doing so, support our national defense and invest in our future.
Bipartisan Group of 38 Lawmakers Sends Letter to Secretary of Commerce Urging Support of Strong CAFTA-DR Rules of Origin & Warning Against Importer-led Attempts to Change Rules
/in Press Releases /by Kristi EllisWASHINGTON –A bipartisan group of 38 lawmakers sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo urging her support of the current rules of origin in the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) that are working to spur significant investment and employment in the region.
The lawmakers also warned that attempts by certain importers to amend the rules would open the back door to China and significantly harm investment in the U.S. -CAFTA region and the vibrant textile and apparel co-production chain in the U.S. and the region, which employs more than one million workers.
“The rules of origin governing textile and apparel production and trade under CAFTA-DR have clear benefits and have strengthened our regional supply chains by fostering a stable business environment where American and regional manufacturers can thrive. We strongly urge you to continue following the longstanding CAFTA-DR short supply list process, which requires requestors to submit public petitions for review, and reject requests to circumvent it,” the letter states.
“Bypassing the existing short supply petition and review system could result in non-signatory nations gaining a backdoor entrance to CAFTA-DR benefits. We fear that the People’s Republic of China (PRC), as the dominant global supplier of yarns and fabrics, would be the major winner under this proposal,” they wrote.
Please also see a press release from Rep. McHenry here quoting NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas.
The letter, made public today, was sent in advance of a Senate Finance Subcommittee hearing titled, “Economic Cooperation for a Stronger and More Resilient Western Hemisphere,” scheduled for today at 3 pm.
Many in Congress and the administration have maintained support for a strong rules-based CAFTA-DR. Most recently, U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, voiced her strong support for the current CAFTA-DR rules in a special video presentation at NCTO’s annual meeting at the end of March. See her remarks here.
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NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers.
CONTACT:
Kristi Ellis
Vice President, Communications
National Council of Textile Organizations
kellis@ncto.org | 202.684.3091
Congressional Scrutiny Intensifies Over De Minimis Loophole Bipartisan Concern Mounts
/in TIN Blog /by Kristi EllisCongressional and federal regulatory scrutiny of Chinese imports entering the U.S. through a trade loophole in U.S. trade law has intensified over the past few weeks, as calls to address and potentially change a little-known legal trade mechanism known as “Section 321 de minimis” continue to gain momentum.
Key Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill, including the House Ways & Means Chairman, the Chairman of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and senators have weighed in on this mechanism.
The de minimis provision of U.S. trade law allows a package of goods valued at $800 or less per person to come into the country duty free everyday through e-commerce. And it is now being aggressively used, letting millions of products into the U.S. market duty free that otherwise would be subject to tariffs, penalty tariffs, taxes and customs inspection.
In 2016, the U.S. government raised the de minimis threshold to $800 while the Chinese government kept its own threshold at meager $8. Since then, e-commerce shipments from China have exploded, reportedly driven in large part by Chinese e-commerce companies and other mass marketers, which have enjoyed meteoric growth.
In fact, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) estimates that we are on pace to hit over 1 billion in de minimis shipments this year alone, which equates to approximately 2.7 million shipments a day. This is estimated to be the highest spike in de minimis imports—up from 2 million shipments per day in fiscal year 2021. To provide further context to the alarming nature of this exponential growth in de minimis shipments, CBP data estimates that these shipments totaled only 150 million in fiscal 2016—the year Congress increased the de minimis threshold from $200 to $800.
Congressional leaders have recently sounded the alarm about the de minimis mechanism.
Most recently, Sen. Marco Rubio penned an op-ed published in Newsweek on the de minimis loophole that is reportedly allowing goods made with forced labor to enter into the United States unchecked and undermining the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). Sen. Rubio says it is time to “reevaluate our nation’s de minimis standards.”
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), ranking member on the Ways & Means trade subcommittee, who is the lead sponsor of legislation aimed at prohibiting goods from non-market economies that are also on a government trade watchlist–China—from benefiting from de minimis treatment, said at a House Ways & Means hearing on May 9 that he planned to reintroduce his legislation in this session of Congress, and he appeared to gain some support from Chairman Smith.
He said companies use “creative invoicing” on imported products or shipments valued at over the $800 de minimis threshold to take advantage of the duty-free benefits and evade inspection, noting the loophole is “swallowing the exception in ways that are really detrimental to American business and the safety of American consumers.”
And in what could prove to be a defining moment, House Ways & Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) agreed this is a major problem.
Their full exchange can be viewed here:
https://youtu.be/8T_WGG9bXvM
The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) recently opened a probe into companies and brands at the center of allegations over tainted apparel tied to forced labor in Xinjiang and the reported abuse of the de minimis loophole.
Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), chairman of the committee was recently on major news networks to voice concern about the aggressive use of the de minimis loophole and compliance with UFLPA. See the video clip here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwIFJf6IU6k
Congressman Gallagher also addressed the de minimis issue specifically in a video he released on Twitter. See the clip here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCg1XYj3ARU
“The de minimis exception wasn’t supposed to be a loophole for foreign businesses looking to skirt human rights legislation and taxes,” Rep. Gallagher said. “It was meant to minimize the burden on customs agents actually.”
In addition, Democratic leaders from the China Select Committee have made recent comments. See a clip here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLY6fRajTPU
The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) has been highly engaged on these issues for the past four years, raising concerns about the flagrant use of de minimis to facilitate nearly 3 million packages a day to the U.S., allowing tainted and counterfeit apparel and other consumer products to bleed into the U.S. market.
NCTO has testified at congressional hearings and engaged in numerous meetings with lawmakers and U.S. trade officials. She has also raised alarm over the issues in countless interviews and several op-eds.
See Glas’ three op-eds on de minimis here:
As Glas notes in her op-eds, “At $800, the United States has one of the highest in the world. While we hold our door wide open, the Chinese government keeps its door virtually shut [to U.S. exports]. An $800 versus $8 limit is hardly a reciprocal arrangement. Instead, we’re unilaterally giving China a massive tax and trade concession. The very least we should do is match China’s threshold.”
Meanwhile, Congress passed, and the President signed into law, the ULFPA in December 2021, there has been global condemnation about the abuse of Uyghur minorities in Xinjiang, China and numerous exposés from prominent news outlets about the use of forced labor to make widely known global apparel brands and labels.
A Bloomberg report seemingly crystallized the connections through laboratory tests conducted by the news outlet that reportedly found garments shipped to the U.S. by Shein were made with cotton from China’s Xinjiang region.
This is clearly a case of two government policies—UFLPA and an outdated de minimis mechanism– working at cross-purposes. We are seeing the unintended consequence of one policy canceling out the other.
The de minimis mechanism is literally undermining efforts to hold China accountable, hurting American manufacturing competitiveness, and stifling the government’s ability to enforce the UFLPA.
Intensifying pressure on the two Chinese e-commerce giants to change their practices is a step in the right direction but to truly address the root cause of the problem, Congress should and can act to close the de minimis loophole.
Last year, the House of Representatives passed legislation with bipartisan support that is designed to close the de minimis loophole, but the legislation to date has stalled in Congress.
Closure of this loophole will prevent companies from overtly circumventing other measures to curb China’s illegal trade practices, including the 301 tariffs and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. And help level the playing field for American textile and apparel manufacturers.
Glen Raven Hosts Deputy Assistant Secretary Jennifer Knight, Highlighting Industry’s Competitiveness, Sustainability, Capital Investments & Jobs
/in Press Releases, Recent News /by Kristi EllisWASHINGTON –Glen Raven hosted Jennifer Knight, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles, Consumer Goods, Materials Industries, Critical Minerals and Metals with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, at the company’s state-of-the art manufacturing facility in Anderson, South Carolina today, where the company manufactures its Sunbrella® flagship brand. The company is beginning to scale a major expansion plan started in 2021, illustrating continued investment and growth by a leader in the U.S. textile industry and its importance to the U.S. economy.
“We were honored to host Deputy Assistant Secretary Knight at our Sunbrella facility in Anderson, South Carolina to give her a firsthand experience of our advanced manufacturing facilities, sustainable initiatives, and the passionate work of our U.S. manufacturing teams,” said Glen Raven CEO Leib Oehmig. “The opportunity to discuss with a key trade official the impact of our nation’s global trade polices on our company and our dedicated workers is invaluable. We highlighted the importance of Glen Raven’s contribution to our local communities, as well as the critical need to maintain a domestic textile and apparel industry and to promote policies that support a resilient and competitive supply chain, innovation and research and a vibrant and well-trained workforce. We are thankful for Deputy Assistant Secretary Knight’s commitment to understanding the challenges we face in the global trade arena and appreciate the dialogue we had with her here today.”
“Public-private sector engagement is key to supporting a competitive and resilient textile and apparel supply chain and I am pleased to visit Glen Raven, a prime example of our modern domestic textile industry with its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities for high-performance fabrics,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary Knight. “ITA continues to support American manufacturers and recognizes the importance of building an innovative, diverse and skilled workforce.”
Glen Raven, a family-owned company founded in 1880, operates five manufacturing facilities in North and South Carolina employing 2,500 people, including their joint venture with Shawmut Corporation. The company is currently in the process of scaling a $250 million multi-phase U.S. capacity expansion plan of its facilities and infrastructure to meet customer demand.
At Glen Raven, Knight toured Glen Raven’s Sunbrella® facilities, part of the company’s Custom Fabrics division, which includes flagship brands Sunbrella® and Dickson®. Glen Raven also has two other divisions, including Glen Raven Technical Fabrics with GlenGuard®, StrataTM and Glen Raven Logistics; and Trivantage, one of the nation’s largest business-to-business distributors for the awning, marine, upholstery and shade sail industries.
Glen Raven is a leader in the upholstery, marine, shading, automotive, military, geotextile, and protective workwear markets and operates national distribution and logistics subsidiaries.
Knight’s visit to Glen Raven’s Sunbrella® facilities comes at a critical time for the company and the U.S. textile supply chain, which produced $65.8 billion in output in 2021 and employed 538,000 workers. Glen Raven is part of the broader textile industry that is a critical manufacturing segment contributing to job growth, investments, and innovation. From 2012-2021, capital investment in U.S. yarn, fabric, apparel & sewn products manufacturing totals $20.9 billion.
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NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers.
DOWNLOAD RELEASE
CONTACT: Kristi Ellis
(202) 684-3091
www.ncto.org
American Textiles Sustainability Achievements 2023
/in TIN Blog /by Rebecca TantilloIn celebration of Earth Day, which falls on April 22 each year, the National Council of Textile Organizations is sharing media coverage and highlights of sustainable achievements and developments by the American textile and apparel industry thus far in 2023.
The U.S. textile industry, its domestic suppliers, and customers are an important component of the U.S. economy and are found in every region of the country. In addition, the domestic textile industry provides numerous advantages for a greener future, including transparent supply chains with a reduced carbon footprint for American consumers and leading innovations in eco-friendly production and in environmental standards and regulations.
We are happy to share the industry’s achievements for the year thus far. American textiles continue to look for new ways to improve current production standards and invent new solutions for the future. Join us in celebrating these amazing, sustainable achievements by American textiles. Happy Earth Day!
eTextile Communications Glen Raven releases Corporate Sustainability Report April 20, 2023
Sourcing Journal Fruit of the Loom’s New Undies Use Lenzing Ecovero April 20, 2023
Nonwovens Industry Trützschler Presents Efficient Solutions for Manufacturing Fiber-Based Nonwovens April 20, 2023
Architectural Digest 7 Sustainable Materials and Products Designers Should Know About Right Now April 20, 2023
AP News HanesBrands Makes Significant Progress Toward its 2025 and 2030 Global Sustainability Goals April 20, 2023
AP News Milliken & Company Marks Five Years of Progress in 2022 Sustainability Report, “FOR HUMANKIND” April 19, 2023
eTextile Communications Lenzing expands responsible viscose fiber portfolio with new offering April 13, 2023
eTextile Communications Teijin supports JCI’s call for stronger action on climate, energy crises April 13, 2023
eTextile Communications Teijin Frontier facilitates recycling of discarded polyester apparel April 13, 2023
Media Africa 247 The LYCRA Company Launches LYCRA EnviroFit™ Fiber at INDEX™ 23 April 13, 2023
BioFuels Digest Fruit of the Loom introduces wood fiber underwear for men April 10, 2023
Alexander City Outlook HanesBrands’ Chief Sustainability Officer Offers Tips on Becoming a More Conscious Consumer Ahead of Earth Day April 12, 2023
Textile World Teijin Frontier Facilitates Recycling Of Discarded Polyester Apparel With Novel Technology For Removing Polyurethane Elastomer Fiber April 10, 2023
Sourcing Journal Lenzing Taps 3 Mills to Produce Mechanically Recycled Tencel April 7, 2023
Business Wire The LYCRA Company Launches LYCRA EnviroFit™ Fiber at INDEX™ 23 April 13, 2023
HanesBrands HanesBrands Awarded U.S. EPA Energy Star Award for Environmental Stewardship for 14thConsecutive Year March 29, 2023
Inside Fashion Live Cone Denim Establishes Certified Recycled Cotton Supply Chain March 23, 2023
Furniture, Lighting & Décor Glen Raven Inc. to Eliminate PFAS Chemicals Across Entire Portfolio March 22, 2023
Sourcing Journal Lycra’s Global Factories Achieve High Higg Assessment Marks March 22, 2023
Sourcing Journal Glen Raven to Remove PFAS from its Fabrics March 21, 2023
Sourcing Journal’s Rivet YKK NAMED ‘SUPPLIER ENGAGEMENT LEADER’ BY CDP March 16, 2023
Textile World YKK Recognized As A Supplier Engagement Leader, CDP’s Highest Rating For Supplier Engagement On Climate Change March 15, 2023
WISNews TENCEL™ showcases innovative fiber applications and new textile trends at leading tradeshows March 15, 2023
Sourcing Journal Tencel Luxe Starred on the Oscars Red Carpet March 13, 2023
Sourcing Journal Milliken Scrubs PFAS from Fibers and Finishes March 7, 2023
Environmental Leader Made of Strong Fiber: UNIFI Surpasses Recycling Goal in Spite of Apparel Industry Disruption March 3, 2023
Sourcing Journal Unifi CEO: Tech Investments, Textile Upcycling Advance Carbon Reduction March 3, 2023
Textile World Under Armour Announces New Methodology to Measure Fiber Shedding February 28, 2023
AP News UNIFI®, Makers of REPREVE®, Publishes New Sustainability Report – Company Aims to Transform 50 Billion Plastic Bottles by 2025 February 22, 2023
ATA Specialty Fabrics Review Milliken & Co. eliminates PFAS from portfolio February 22, 2023
PT Online K 2022 Additives & Materials: Sustainability in the Lead February 21, 2023
Textile World Lenzing And NFW Partner To Provide Sustainable Leather Alternatives For Fashion February 20, 2023
Textile World Teijin Named “Excellent Company For Sustainability” By S&P Global February 20, 2023
The Hill Nearshoring textiles has been a success: Here’s how we can do even better February 18, 2023
Market Screener Lenzing AG: Together with partners, Lenzing succeeds in reaching a milestone in the development of a circular-based fashion collection February 14, 2023
3BL Media HanesBrands Reaches Solar Energy Milestones February 13, 2023
NCTO TIN Blog Unifi’s Meredith Boyd on Sustainability February 13, 2023
NCTO TIN Blog LYCRA’s Jean Hegedus on Sustainability February 13, 2023
NCTO TIN Blog Gherzi USA’s Bob Antoshak on Sustainability February 13, 2023
NCTO TIN Blog BASF’s Ray Daniels on Sustainability February 13, 2023
eTextile Communications Dovetail Workwear partners with CiCLO® sustainable textile technology February 8, 2023
Endurance Sportswire Polartec Introduces Shed Less Technology to Reduce Textile Fiber Fragment Shedding February 7, 2023
eTextile Communications Archroma now upcycling textile waste into colorful dyes January 26, 2023
WL Gore & Associates Membrion Announces Its Collaboration With W. L. Gore & Associates to Develop Ultra-thin Ceramic Ion Exchange Membranes for Energy Efficient Desalination of Harsh Wastewater Streams January 25, 2023
Elevate Textiles Sustainability is woven into our very DNA at Elevate Textiles
NCTO’s Textiles in the News Fashion’s environmental governance begins with nearshoring and onshoring January 20, 2023
Fashion United How could fibre recycling become mainstream? In conversation with Lenzing’s veteran Michael Kininmonth January 20, 2023
Access Wire Gildan Included on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations List by Corporate Knights’ January 19, 2023
eTextile Communications Burlington Performance Apparel introduces biobased stretch fabric collection during OR January 12, 2023
TMC Net HanesBrands Recognized for Sustainability Leadership, Earning A- Scores in Both Climate Change and Water Security From CDP January 10, 2023
Apparel News Unifi’s Textile Takeback Program Aims to Change the Fate of Polyester January 5, 2023