U.S. Textile Industry Lauds Administration’s Actions on El Salvador and Guatemala in Support of U.S. Textile Supply Chain
November 13, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), representing the full spectrum of U.S. textiles from fiber, yarn and fabrics to finished sewn products, applauded the administration’s announced plans for the U.S. textile industry and qualified textile and apparel goods from Guatemala and El Salvador under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR).
National Council of Textile Organizations President and CEO Kim Glas:
“NCTO and our industry greatly appreciate the administration’s actions on qualified textile and apparel goods for Guatemala and El Salvador—steps that will help bolster the U.S. textile industry’s vital supply chain in the Western Hemisphere. This is a critical export market for the U.S. textile industry and our workforce.
“We want to thank President Trump, U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, and the administration for this important decision. The CAFTA-DR region forms a vital co-production chain with the American textile supply chain, facilitating $11.3 billion in two-way trade in 2024 and supporting more than 470,000 U.S. workers in the domestic textile sector alone.
“We also sincerely thank Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC-09), Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC-07), and many members of the House Textile Caucus for their leadership and efforts in supporting the textile and apparel co-production chain between the U.S. and CAFTA-DR countries.
“These actions will help preserve significant export markets for domestic textile producers in the Western Hemisphere and enhance the vitality of the U.S. industry. The U.S. -Western Hemisphere supply chains stand as a bulwark to China and other Asian countries. We look forward to working with the Trump administration to further strengthen this vital region and express our strongest appreciation for this important announcement.”
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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
