U.S. Textile Industry Applauds Presidential Determination Granting Access to Key Defense Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), which represents the full U.S. textile supply chain from fiber and yarn to fabrics and finished sewn products, lauded President Trump’s signing of a determination that enables the U.S. textile industry and other critical sectors to access Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III investment funding through the Department of War (DoW).
The presidential determination was published in a Federal Register notice here.
National Council of Textile Organizations President and CEO Kim Glas:
“We sincerely thank President Trump for authorizing DPA Title III funding for certain warfighter clothing, textiles, and equipment. This has been a long-fought advocacy effort on the part of the domestic textile industry and our partners in coordination with the White House Made in America Office, DoW and allies on the Hill. This is an important breakthrough and a step forward for the U.S. textile industry, a strategic industry that supports the U.S. military and national security priorities.
“NCTO formally requested a presidential determination last year, urging immediate action to allow the U.S. textile and uniform industry to utilize the DPA Title III program to bolster domestic production capacity, sustain critical supply chains, and meet evolving national defense needs.
“Under the Berry Amendment, a law requiring the DoW to purchase 100% U.S.-made textiles and clothing, the U.S. textile and apparel industrial base provides more than $1.8 billion in uniforms, body armor, footwear, and individual equipment annually to the U.S. armed forces. This industry supplies over 8,000 textile items and more than 30,000 line-items when sizing is included.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, DPA authorities were widely used to invest in U.S. manufacturing operations to rapidly scale production of personal protective equipment (PPE), demonstrating the program’s effectiveness in strengthening domestic industrial capacity in times of national need.
“Expanding access to DPA Title III funding for broader defense priorities will help secure a resilient domestic textile supply chain, reduce reliance on foreign and adversarial suppliers, and ensure the United States can equip and protect its servicemembers across all operational environments.
“We appreciate partnering with the Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition on this effort. We look forward to working with the DoW and the administration on securing funding allocations to ensure the domestic industry can continue our servicemembers across all operational environments.”
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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 471,046 in 2024.
- The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $63.9 billion in 2024.
- U.S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $28 billion in 2024.
- Capital expenditures for textiles and apparel production totaled $2.98 billion in 2022, the last year for which data is available.
CONTACT:
Kristi Ellis
National Council of Textile Organizations
kellis@ncto.org| P: 202.281.9305
