Bristol, Va.-based Universal Fibers announced the appointment of Jay Brown as president, effective May 1, 2026. Brown brings more than 35 years of leadership experience across the flooring, fiber and building materials industries. He previously served as president and chief operating officer at Bentley Mills and executive vice president at Happy Floors.
Rolland
Carbon Appoints Jason Rolland Chief Technology Officer
Redwood City, Calif.-based Carbon, a product development and manufacturing technology company, announced the promotion of Jason Rolland, Ph.D., to chief technology officer. Rolland has been with Carbon for more than 12 years, built the materials team, and co-invented the company’s patented dual-cure resin platform. He holds over 60 issued U.S. patents.
Shipley
Lyle Shipley Joins Herculite As Innovation Director
Emigsville, Pa.-based Herculite Products announced that Lyle Shipley joined the company as director of innovation. Shipley brings more than 25 years of experience in the plastics industry with expertise in film formulation, product management and new product development. He most recently served as senior product manager at Continental AG.
Arens
Arne Arens Joins unspun As CEO
San Francisco-based unspun, a B Corp-certified apparel technology company, announced the appointment of Arne Arens as chief executive officer. Arens brings decades of experience leading global consumer apparel brands including The North Face, where he served as global brand president, and Boardriders, where he served as CEO. Arens will guide unspun’s next phase of growth as it scales automated, localized manufacturing infrastructure for the apparel industry.
Sakimon (left) and Frett (right)
Teruyuki Sakimon Named CEO Of Toray CMA
Tacoma, Wash.-based Toray Composite Materials America Inc., a manufacturer of advanced composite materials, announced the appointment of Teruyuki Sakimon as president and chief executive officer effective April 1, 2026. Sakimon has been with Toray CMA for more than 20 years and with Toray Industries’ advanced composites division for nearly 30 years. He succeeds Dennis Frett, who is retiring after more than 30 years with the company.
(clockwise from upper left) Tom Daugherty, Pricie Hanna, Carey Hobbs and CK Wong
INDA Honors Four With 2026 Lifetime Awards
Cary, N.C.-based INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced the four recipients of the 2026 INDA Lifetime Service Award and Lifetime Technical Achievement Award.
Tom Daugherty, Pricie Hanna, Carey Hobbs, and CK Wong are being recognized for their leadership, innovation and contributions to advancing the nonwovens industry.
“These awards celebrate individuals whose careers have helped shape the growth and progress of the nonwovens industry,” said Tony Fragnito, INDA president and CEO.
Tom Daugherty’s career spans decades at Procter & Gamble and The Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University. He served on the INDA Board of Directors from 2007 to 2009 and the INDA Executive Committee from 2010 to 2016.
Pricie Hanna is managing partner of Price Hanna Consultants, specializing in nonwoven products and technologies. She was previously vice president of John R. Starr Inc. for 23 years.
Carey Hobbs joined Hobbs Bonded Fibers in 1963 and grew the company into a leader in the nonwoven industry until he sold it in 2015. He served two terms on INDA’s board of directors.
CK Wong was chairman and CEO of U.S. Pacific Nonwovens Industry Limited and served as INDA vice chairman.
Williamson
LYCRA Company Appoints Alistair Williamson Sustainability VP
Wilmington, Del.-based LYCRA Company appointed Alistair Williamson as vice president of product sustainability. Williamson brings four decades of experience in textile fibers and apparel, having held commercial, sales and marketing leadership roles across EMEA, North America and South Asia. He will guide the company’s sustainability strategy and oversee initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact across products, operations and innovation platforms. Williamson joined the predecessor of LYCRA Company in 2007.
Reichelt
Thermore Appoints Don Reichelt To North American Sales Team
Milan, Italy-based Thermore, a supplier of sustainable synthetic insulation, appointed Don Reichelt as North American sales representative. Reichelt brings experience across the outdoor and endurance sports industries and is the founder of Colorado-based Rocky Peak Marketing. He has worked with brands in the outdoor, run and active lifestyle spaces. In his new role, Reichelt will focus on expanding Thermore’s relationships with North American apparel partners.
McCracken
Trivantage Adds West Coast Furnishings Sales Representative
Burlington, N.C.-based Trivantage announced the appointment of Kate McCracken as a sales representative for the furnishings division. McCracken will strengthen customer relationships across the West Coast, focusing on outdoor furnishings and OEM segments. She brings nearly a decade of experience across textile sales, hospitality project management and the architectural industry.
Dr. Tambe
Nonwovenn Appoints Dr. Nisarg Tambe Innovation Director
Bridgwater, England-based Nonwovenn appointed Dr. Nisarg Tambe as director of innovation. Tambe brings more than a decade of experience in the nonwovens industry and most recently served as head of research and development for the Evolon product range at Freudenberg Performance Materials. Dave Hill will transition from innovations director to next gen products director, focusing on continuation and commercialization of existing product development activities.
Denes
Edd Denes Named CEO Of Accelerating Circularity
New York-based Accelerating Circularity announced the appointment of Edd Denes as chief executive officer. Denes previously served as board treasurer of Accelerating Circularity since 2021. He brings more than two decades of leadership experience spanning financial services, technology transformation and international operations. Accelerating Circularity works with brands, manufacturers, collectors, sorters, recyclers, and innovators to build systems for textile-to-textile recycling at scale.
Altmann-Morelli
Texcare Names Altmann-Morelli Director
Frankfurt Am Main, Germany-based Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH named Vivien Altmann-Morelli director of Texcare International, effective May 1, overseeing the global laundry, dry-cleaning and textile services trade fair and brand portfolio. She will also lead Food Technologies and report to Kerstin Horaczek. Altmann-Morelli succeeds Johannes Schmid-Wiedersheim.
Spence
Standard Fiber Names Spence Merchandising Chief
Henderson, Nev.-based Standard Fiber named Randy Spence chief merchandising officer, a new role overseeing merchandising, product development, marketing and sourcing. He will unify product and brand strategy and report to Brett Scharf. Spence brings 40 years of experience across consumer goods, including roles at Pillowtex and Springs Global, and founded pet bed manufacturer NVM Pet, sold in 2020.
John
Carters Names Sharon Price John CEO
ATLANTA-based Carter’s Inc. named Sharon Price John CEO and president, effective June 15, 2026, and a board member. CFO/COO Richard F. Westenberger will serve as interim CEO. John joins from Build-A-Bear, where she drove profitability, omnichannel growth and market expansion. Douglas C. Palladini departed; the company reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 outlook.
AGY S-2 Glass non-crimp fabric using SAERTEX USA production process.Aiken, S.C.-based AGY, a global supplier of specialty glass fiber reinforcements, and Saerbeck, Germany-based SAERTEX, manufacturer of multiaxial non-crimp fabrics, announced a joint development focused on using AGY’s high-strength S-2 Glass fiber in SAERTEX engineered non-crimp fabric architectures.
The collaboration combines AGY’s S-2 Glass reinforcement with SAERTEX’s tailored multiaxial NCF technology to deliver lightweight, high-strength composite solutions for aerospace, defense, industrial and advanced mobility applications.
SAERTEX non-crimp fabrics are designed with precisely aligned fiber orientations and optimized surface weights to maximize load performance while reducing component weight and layer count.
“Combining S-2 Glass with SAERTEX’s advanced multiaxial fabric design enables lightweight solutions that can compete in applications traditionally reserved for higher-cost materials,” said Patrick Hunter, chief commercial officer and president of AGY.
“The integration of AGY’s S-2 Glass fiber allows us to offer customers enhanced mechanical performance while maintaining the processing advantages of non-crimp fabrics,” said Christian Beckmann, CEO of SAERTEX.
The companies are qualifying multiple multiaxial constructions for structural composite applications.
Putnam, Conn.-based Dimension-Polyant introduced X-Pac hyperTEC, a family of advanced performance fabrics engineered for mountaineering, climbing, skiing and bikepacking applications.
“What sets X-Pac hyperTEC fabrics apart is their high-modulus fiber architecture,” said Taylor North, Dimension-Polyant global head of technical fabrics. “Using advanced fibers allows us to produce laminates that are ultra-light and have a tremendous strength-to-weight ratio, while maintaining the durability and reliability that X-Pac is known for.”
X-Pac hyperTEC fabrics are built with high-modulus fibers, advanced reinforcement and technical constructions engineered for resilience and optimized load paths. The company’s lamination technology delivers stable fabrics at lightweight specifications with inherent waterproof performance.
X-Pac hyperTEC UX fabrics are made with a 100% Ultra-PE (UHMWPE) face fabric and Ultra-PE X-PLY reinforcement. The series includes UX10 (82 grams per square meter), UX10 ST (122 grams per square meter), and UX20 ST (154 grams per square meter), each engineered for different performance and durability requirements.
AeroVent® technology allows sweat vapor to escape without letting heat inside.Medina, Ohio-based Fire-Dex announced that UL Solutions verified particulate ingress results for its AeroFlex turnout system under UL Verification 1641. The verification confirms performance to NFPA Particle Inward Leakage testing requirements when the ensemble is worn in a specific configuration.
“Particulate barriers in pant/coat interfaces add protection from contaminants, but the trade-off is that they can limit breathability,” said Todd Herring, vice president of product innovation and strategy at Fire-Dex. “AeroFlex is designed differently, with vents that help hot air escape from inside turnouts but that also keep particulates out.”
The evaluated configuration included the AeroFlex coat with a properly engaged self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), along with AeroFlex pants equipped with the optional particulate-blocking barrier. According to UL Solutions, testing reported less than 1 microgram exposure on the wearer across the ensemble.
The AeroFlex turnout system places VaporLite breathable composite panels where heat and sweat concentrate and integrates AeroVent Technology to move warm humid air outward under pressure with an integrated particulate-blocking element.
According to the company, unspun technology enables in-season production, reduces excess inventory and can improve margins by 400–500 basis points.San Francisco-based unspun, backed by more than $50 million in venture funding, has secured letters of support from Walmart and REI to build U.S.-based automated apparel manufacturing hubs using AI-enabled 3D weaving technology.
Supply chain partners Bethel Industries, Peckham and PDS Ltd/ GSC Link will support development with initial production expected in the near term. The proprietary system produces semi-finished garments directly from yarn in minutes, replacing multiple cut-and-sew steps with a single automated process.
“We are not exploring whether domestic apparel manufacturing can work. We are building it,” said CEO Arne Arens.
According to the company, the technology enables in-season production, reduces excess inventory and can improve margins by 400–500 basis points.
“Our customers are proud to buy apparel made in America,” said Avisnash Bhasker, Walmart vice president of apparel production development.
unspun is evaluating U.S. sites and workforce training programs for deployment.
Cotton Incorporated released research showing consumer awareness of microplastics has climbed to 41%, up from 17% in 2017.Cary, N.C.-based Cotton Incorporated released research showing consumer awareness of microplastics has climbed to 41%, up from 17% in 2017, with growing concern about synthetic fibers in clothing.
According to the company’s 2026 Global Sustainability Survey of 1,022 U.S. consumers, 59% say they are likely to seek clothing made with microplastic-free fibers. Among those concerned about microplastics, 41% consider wearing clothing containing microplastics a major concern.
“Consumers overwhelmingly view cotton as environmentally safe compared with synthetic fibers, signaling that fiber perception is playing a larger role in how apparel sustainability is evaluated,” said Melissa Bastos, director of corporate strategy and insights at Cotton Incorporated.
Overall, environmental concern stands at 73%, while motivation-to-act sustainably rose to 76% in 2026 from 73% in 2023.
Consumers report taking action including limiting plastic purchases (37%), recycling (27%) and seeking natural materials (12%). However, 37% feel overwhelmed by unclear information and 36% are unsure what to do, creating opportunities for brands and mills to provide clearer guidance on natural-fiber options and anti-shedding innovations.
Ahmedabad, India-based Arvind Advanced Materials Limited (AAML), a wholly owned subsidiary of Arvind Limited, acquired a nearly 61% stake in Dalco-GFT, a U.S. manufacturer of specialized needle-punched nonwoven fabrics.
Dalco-GFT, established in 1988, operates two facilities in North and South Carolina with combined annual capacity of approximately 75 million pounds. The company serves automotive, industrial, construction and furniture sectors and reported revenue of approximately $100 million in calendar 2025.
“The acquisition of Dalco-GFT marks a transformational milestone in AAML’s growth journey,” said Punit Lalbhai, vice chairman of Arvind Limited. “Through this transaction, we are entering the world’s largest technical textile market — the United States.”
“Our customers can expect the same great service, relationships and product quality they’ve always known,” said Joey Duncan, CEO of Dalco-GFT.
AAML valued the transaction at 7.75 times EV/EBITDA. InCred Capital served as exclusive financial advisor.
Trenton, S.C.-based USFibers, a recycler and manufacturer of polyester staple fiber, announced a strategic investment from Glisco Partners and Orion Infrastructure Capital (OIC) to expand production capacity, enhance technical capabilities and reach new markets.
Founded in 1994, USFibers operates a vertically integrated recycling and production platform that converts post-industrial and post-consumer PET waste into fiber for automotive, filtration and geotextile markets.
“This investment strengthens our capacity, broadens our capabilities and allows us to continue delivering high-quality, customized solutions to our customers,” said Teddy Oh, CEO of USFibers.
“We look forward to this partnership, supporting USFibers’ expansion in a market with a growing demand for recycled polyester,” said Ethan Shoemaker, investment partner at OIC.
USFibers will continue operating under existing management. TM Capital served as exclusive financial advisor.
Alpharetta, Ga.-based Arclin has completed its approximately $1.8 billion acquisition of DuPont’s Aramids business, adding the Kevlar® and Nomex® brands and expanding its position in high-performance, life-critical materials.
“Kevlar® and Nomex® are the gold standard … and we are very excited to incorporate the Aramids platform,” said President Mark Glaspey. He said the deal adds manufacturing operations in Europe and Asia and about 1,800 employees, with a focus on operational continuity and investment in innovation.
The combined portfolio now spans aerospace, electrical infrastructure, electric vehicles, personal protection and defense, strengthening Arclin’s reach in advanced protective applications.
“We’re excited to join the Arclin family,” said Aramids Business Unit President Matt Reinhardt, citing expertise in aramid fiber, high-strength, heat-resistant materials.
CEO Bradley Bolduc said, “We’re focused on accelerating what these materials can do across performance-critical uses.”
Outgoing NCTO Chairman Chuck Hall outlined the U.S. textile industry’s major challenges and achievements of last year during his “State of the U.S. Textile Industry” address at NCTO’s 22nd annual meeting in Washington.
By Chuck Hall
It is a privilege to stand before you and deliver this year’s State of the Industry address on behalf of the U.S. textile industry — an industry that is not simply part of our manufacturing base, but also a strategic pillar of it.
The U.S. textile industry produces components for everything from wearing apparel and automotive interiors to advanced industrial applications; products for our hospitality markets and industrial markets; and our military and defense systems. Our integrated textile and apparel supply chain employs 453,122 American workers and generates $60.9 billion in annual output.
Each year, our industry supplies more than $1.8 billion in uniforms and textile-based equipment to the Department of War. We provide over 8,000 different textile products to our armed forces. From flame-resistant fabrics to advanced ballistic materials, American-made textiles are essential to mission readiness and national security.
A Year Of Historic Wins And Challenges
In 2025, the industry faced significant challenges in response to economic upheavals and rapidly evolving trade policy developments.
Sweeping global tariff increases on nearly every country and imported products also triggered uncertainty and injected unpredictability into global markets.
At the same time, predatory trade practices intensified. Illegal transshipments surged. Customs fraud continued. Logistics breakdowns rippled across supply chains.
And in just two and a half years, more than 40 U.S. textile plants have closed.
Let that sink in.
Forty facilities — many in rural communities where a textile mill is the economic backbone — shut their doors. Families were impacted. Communities were shaken.
NCTO’s Leadership In A Time Of Upheaval
Throughout this unprecedented time, the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) initiated a strategic campaign to confront policy threats and elevate the industry’s strategic importance at the highest levels of government.
I’d like to focus some attention on the role NCTO plays in facilitating access to key policymakers. Access provides opportunities for our industry to impact policy. Without it, there is no way to impact policy.
Thanks to the hard work behind the scenes by NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas, staff and industry leaders, we had access to the most influential administration and White House officials, which helped shape and effect change in this evolving trade environment.
Last year, we had face-to-face meetings with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. We also had access to key members of the Department of War and Defense Logistics Agency, and those meetings elevated our industry as a strategic sector and impacted policy. We made national and international news on our de minimis advocacy that closed this disaster once and for all. We played on both the offense and defense. And our voices were heard at the highest levels of the administration and on Capitol Hill. We made a meaningful difference in 2025 and we are positioned well to achieve some of our top priorities in 2026.
Before highlighting NCTO’s key policy wins, I want to quickly share a recap of the key data points from 2025 that highlight our industry’s resilience and staying power.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce data for Export Group 0: Textiles and Apparel.
By The Numbers
In 2025, the industry’s key metrics registered slight declines across the board but remained stable relative to major trade and economic disruptions throughout the year. This again underscores the industry’s ability to adapt during challenging times and remain viable even while registering some losses.
Here are a few key industry facts for 2025:
The estimated total value of U.S. man-made fiber, textile and apparel shipments was $60.9 billion compared with $63.9 billion in shipments in 2024.1
U.S. exports of fibers, textiles and apparel were $27 billion in 2025 compared with $28 billion in 2024.2
From 2017 to 2024, our industry invested $34.3 billion in advanced manufacturing here in the United States.3
The United States remains the second largest individual country exporter of textile-related products in the world.
The U.S. textile and apparel industry invested $5.5 billion in new plants and equipment in 2024, the last year for which this data is available.4
Despite weakening in some fundamentals, I remain cautiously optimistic that the industry will once again navigate the disruptions and remain resilient this year.
Several policy wins and significant progress in key priority areas will generate more business opportunities for the industry, and thus provide a basis and foundation for optimism in 2026.
Policy Issues
Through high-level meetings, executive fly-ins, direct engagement with Cabinet secretaries and policymakers on Capitol Hill, as well as sustained grassroots advocacy, we secured a series of major policy wins in 2025 and early 2026.
Let me highlight some of the most consequential wins.
Closing The De Minimis Loophole
No issue defined 2025 more than de minimis.
At its peak, the de minimis loophole allowed 1.4 billion duty-free ship-ments — more than 4 million packages per day — to enter the United States unchecked and duty free.
An estimated half of those shipments were textiles and apparel. Many were linked to forced labor, counterfeit goods and fentanyl trafficking. This loophole was the largest backdoor in U.S. trade policy and it was devastating to domestic manufacturers.
NCTO’s sustained advocacy led to a full closure of de minimis for commercial shipments globally through an executive order signed by President Trump, which took effect at the end of August. Our efforts also culminated in the passage of bipartisan legislation codifying the closure of de minimis, effective July 1, 2027.
These actions have led to a dramatic decline in small package shipments to the United States since the loophole has been closed. They also restored a level playing field, enhanced national security and sent a powerful signal that American manufacturing matters.
NCTO will continue engaging with the administration to ensure this loophole remains closed through every available authority.
Securing Western Hemisphere Tariff Exemptions
The administration’s sweeping tariffs in 2025 aimed to rectify unfair trade practices and chronic U.S. trade deficits, and bolster U.S. manufacturing and jobs. While we have long supported the goal of leveling the playing field, there have been unintended consequences associated with these global tariffs.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, and Orders (M3) Survey, and Annual Survey of Manufacturers (ASM), value of shipments for NAICS 313, 314, 315 & 32522. 2021 data used to estimate 2025 NAICS 32522 figure.The implementation of tariffs on nearly every country under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in 2025 created massive uncertainty at a moment when our industry was already under strain.
To address this, NCTO launched a focused campaign outlining refinements to the administration’s trade agenda to ensure it strengthens — not inadvertently weakens — U.S. textile producers.
As I noted, we raised concerns directly with Commerce Secretary Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Bessent and USTR Greer — and our engagement led to concrete and meaningful change, and results for the industry
NCTO’s focused engagement with the administration led to an early achievement: an exemption for qualifying textile and apparel imports from Mexico and Canada under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
In November, NCTO notched another significant win in securing an exemption from reciprocal tariffs for qualifying textiles and apparel imports from Guatemala and El Salvador under the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR).
The Supreme Court subsequently invalidated the IEEPA tariffs in a decision handed down in February this year; and the Trump administration imposed a sweeping 10 percent global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.
NCTO’s advocacy and leadership this year in strong support for maintaining benefits for qualified trade can also be credited for the administration’s decision to exempt USMCA qualified trade and most recently CAFTA-DR qualifying textile and apparel imports from the 10 percent global tariff.
Preserving preferential treatment for qualified trade in the Western Hemisphere, which accounts for 70 percent of the U.S. textile industry’s exports, is absolutely critical to the U.S. textile industry and will provide incentives for more companies to onshore even greater production capacity, giving a boost to American textile manufacturers and their workers.
And we continue to engage at the highest levels to gain exemptions for inputs and machinery we don’t make here. I know NCTO is working on this tirelessly to help our industry get this done.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. International Trade Commission.
Protecting The Berry Amendment And Strengthening Defense Procurement
In 2025, we strengthened and expanded defense procurement of American-made uniforms and textiles under the Berry Amendment as we intensified efforts to protect and expand Berry to all federal agencies.
We also fought back efforts by some to erode the Berry Amendment which would have crippled our industry and threatened our national security.
NCTO and more than 30 industry leaders met with the Defense Logistics Agency and the White House Made in America Office in the fall to underscore our strategic importance, and plot together to develop a plan to strengthen contracting procedures and provide certainty to the industry moving ahead. NCTO is in weekly touch with the Department of War to implement a strategic effort to help enable the industry to grow into the future.
In another win earlier this year, NCTO’s dedicated campaign to expand the Berry Amendment to all federal agencies led to the Department of Interior announcing a commitment to prioritize purchasing uniforms and textiles made in the United States.
NCTO is pressing the administration to implement an executive order to extend the Berry Amendment to all agencies that purchase textiles.
In addition, the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act included robust support for expanding federal investments in the textile industrial base and improving oversight, forecasting and capacity assessments.
Elevating Customs Enforcement Plan
We elevated a customs enforcement plan to combat rampant fraud as a cornerstone of the administration’s trade agenda.
NCTO continued to press all corners of the government to step up enforcement against China’s and other foreign competitors’ unfair trade practices causing damage to U.S. textile producers, from Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) violations, to false origin claims, to abuse of “de minimis” tariff exemptions.
These efforts included meetings with the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) leadership.
We outlined the essentials of a customs textile enforcement plan for officials, including robust enforcement of free trade agreement rules of origin; stronger penalties for customs fraud; full enforcement of the UFLPA; and a textile-specific enforcement strategy.
NCTO will keep pushing for greater transparency and accountability in CBP’s enforcement activities, including regular publication of textile enforcement statistics and increased information sharing with the industry.
Unfortunately, we don’t have time to delve into all these important issues, but I do want to emphasize that NCTO remains highly engaged on every policy matter that affects the U.S. textile industry with the intent of shaping policies that directly benefit U.S. textile investment, production and employment.
Please also note that industry leadership and involvement is of paramount importance. From contributions to NCTO’s Textile PAC to arranging congressional visits, the industry makes a difference every day in raising awareness about our important contribution to local and state economies, and the U.S. economy overall.
Looking Ahead
We enter 2026 with many challenges ahead.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Investment in Private Fixed Assets, Textile Mills and Textile Product Mills/Apparel and Leather and Allied ProductsThe work never ends and the challenges are ever evolving.
In 2026, global competition remains fierce. Policy uncertainty remains real. Enforcement gaps remain persistent. But so does our resolve.
The positives are that the administration is focused on a strategy to support domestic manufacturing, and our industry, while showing some cracks, remains incredibly resilient.
The de minimis loophole has been closed, we gained exemptions for qualifying CAFTA-DR and USMCA trade, and we increased our presence in the minds of policy makers.
And we did it together.
These things give us hope that 2026 will see our industry moving forward and becoming healthier.
NCTO’s top advocacy priorities this year include:
Preserving duty-free treatment for USMCA and CAFTA-DR qualified textile and apparel goods;
Heighening advocacy aimed at the administration and Congress to secure tariff exemptions for textile manufacturing inputs and machinery not available in the United States;
Intensifying engagement to protect and expand the Berry Amendment through the National Defense Authorization Act and the House Berry Amendment Caucus;
Expanding government procurement of American-made textiles and uniforms across all federal agencies; and
Robust engagement with the administration on customs enforcement to combat rampant fraud.
NCTO and our industry will continue advancing policies that strengthen domestic manufacturing and ensure that the United States remains the global leader in high-performance textiles and advanced manufacturing.
Thank you. This concludes my formal remarks.
References:
U.S. Census Bureau, Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, and Orders (M3) Survey, and Annual Survey of Manufacturers (ASM), value of shipments for NAICS 313, 314, 315 & 32522. 2021 data used to estimate 2025 NAICS 32522 figure.
U.S. Department of Commerce data for Export Group 0: Textiles and Apparel.
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Investment in Private Fixed Assets, Textile Mills and Textile Product Mills/Apparel and Leather and Allied Products.
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Investment in Private Fixed Assets, Textile Mills and Textile Product Mills/Apparel and Leather and Allied Products.
Editor’s Notes: Information contained in the speech was current as of NCTO’s annual meeting. Chuck Hall is president and CEO of Spartanburg, S.C.-based Barnet. He served as the 2025 NCTO chairman. At the 2026 annual NCTO meeting in Washington, Amy Bircher Bruyn, CEO and founder of Brooklyn, Ohio-based MMI Textiles, succeeded Hall as NCTO chair; and Jay Todd, CEO and managing partner of Laurinburg, N.C.-based Service Thread, was elected vice chairman.
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy. NAICS Subsector 313 covers Textile Mills, sub-sector 314 covers Textile Product Mills and subsector 315 covers Apparel.
