WASHINGTON—The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), representing the full spectrum of U.S. textiles, from fiber through finished sewn products, welcomes the Trump administration’s recent announcement of the launch of a Section 301 investigation into the currency valuation practices of Vietnam. “NCTO strongly opposes foreign governments undervaluing their currencies, which puts U.S. manufacturers at a disadvantage by inflating the cost of U.S. exports and deflating the cost of U.S. imports.  This unfair trade practice displaces U.S. production and jobs, as well as those of our Western Hemisphere trade partners utilizing U.S. textile inputs,” said NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas. “The U.S.-Vietnam trading relationship suffers from many of the same problems that we have experienced with China. There are strong indications of a purposefully undervalued currency that warrants a full investigation.  Further, the industries in the two countries are inextricably linked, as Vietnam sources much of its textile inputs from China,” Glas added. In 2019, the U.S. trade deficit with Vietnam stood at $55.8 billion, including a $14.6 billion deficit in textiles and apparel specifically.  Vietnam has demonstrated tremendous growth in the U.S. textile and apparel market and is the second largest supplier after China, holding a 15.8% import market share for January-July 2020. “Scrutinizing unfair practices such as currency undervaluation by Vietnam is one more action the administration can take to eliminate predatory trade practices by countries that continuously undermine domestic production and that of our free trade partners.  Strong trade enforcement is key to leveling the playing field. With so much discussion about onshoring production, including personal protective equipment (PPE), we believe this investigation is necessary, and we look forward to further opportunities to provide input as part of the formal investigation process.”

###

NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers, including artificial and synthetic filament and fiber producers.

• U.S. employment in the textile supply chain was 585,240 in 2019.
• The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $75.8 billion in 2019.
• U.S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $29.1 billion in 2019.
• Capital expenditures for textile and apparel production totaled $2.5 billion in 2018, the last year for which data is available.

DOWNLOAD RELEASE CONTACT: Kristi Ellis Vice President, Communications National Council of Textile Organizations kellis@ncto.org  |  202.684.3091  

WASHINGTON—The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), representing the full spectrum of U.S. textiles, from fiber through finished sewn products, launched a paid social media video campaign today, highlighting the extraordinary efforts the industry has taken to respond to the shortages of lifesaving personal protective equipment (PPE) spawned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“NCTO is launching a social media and email campaign today to show members of Congress how this industry has significantly contributed to the nation’s PPE crisis, while demonstrating the importance of immediate policies and legislation, such as Buy American mandates, to establish a sustainable domestic supply chain for the future,” said NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas.

“Our campaign underscores the importance of ending our over reliance on China for PPE and calls on Congress to craft policies that support domestic procurement requirements and the onshoring of jobs,” Glas added. “It is high time we had a national strategic plan in place to spur investment in the industry and ensure our country has a permanent domestic PPE supply chain to confront the next pandemic our country faces.”

To view the video, textile worker profiles and Call to Action for members of Congress, and their staff, and manufacturers and employees, please click here.

###

NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers, including artificial and synthetic filament and fiber producers.

• U.S. employment in the textile supply chain was 585,240 in 2019.
• The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $75.8 billion in 2019.
• U.S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $29.1 billion in 2019.
• Capital expenditures for textile and apparel production totaled $2.5 billion in 2018, the last year for which data is available.

DOWLOAD RELEASE

CONTACT:

Kristi Ellis

Vice President, Communications

National Council of Textile Organizations

kellis@ncto.org  |  202.684.3091

WASHINGTON—The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) and National Cotton Council (NCC)  sent a letter today to the chairs and ranking members of two key congressional committees today, voicing support for a timely  extension of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA), which expires on Sept. 30.  The House Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Trade is holding a hearing on Thursday at 2:00 PM on this important trade preference program.

The CBTPA has provided a structured system of textile and apparel duty preferences for certain countries– most notably Haiti– since it was implemented in 2000. U.S. textile and cotton industries see significant benefits from the program, which has helped establish an export market for U.S.-grown cotton, U.S.-spun yarn and other textile materials of U.S. origin.

The U.S. content rule contained in CBTPA provides a mutual benefit to the U.S. industry and the Caribbean Basin region economies.

The associations’ support is contingent upon the trade program not being tied to other unrelated and harmful trade and tariff provisions as noted in their joint letter.

The NCTO and NCC sent the letter to House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) and Ranking member Kevin Brady (R-Texas), Senate Finance Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)

See the full letter here.

###

NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers, including artificial and synthetic filament and fiber producers.

• U.S. employment in the textile supply chain was 585,240 in 2019.
• The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $75.8 billion in 2019.
• U.S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $29.1 billion in 2019.
• Capital expenditures for textile and apparel production totaled $2.5 billion in 2018, the last year for which data is available.

As the unifying force of the U.S. cotton industry, the Memphis-based National Cotton Council has a mission of ensuring the ability of all industry segments to compete effectively and profitably in the raw cotton, oilseed and U.S.-manufactured product markets at home and abroad.

 

DOWNLOAD RELEASE

 

PRESS CONTACTS:

National Council of Textile Organizations

Kristi Ellis

kellis@ncto.org  |  202.684.3091

 

National Cotton Council

Marjory L. Walker

mwalker@cotton.org (901) 274-9030

 

 

WASHINGTON—An industry coalition representing the full spectrum of domestic personal protective equipment (PPE) production released a statement today outlining policy principles and objectives needed for reshoring and safeguarding domestic PPE manufacturing.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed severe shortages in our nation’s PPE supply and an overreliance on foreign sourced products, underscores how important it is for the U.S. government to incentivize, support and maintain domestic manufacturing capacity for PPE.

Our association members, encompassing every segment of the U.S. textile, apparel and PPE supply chain, as well as unions representing workers, acted swiftly to convert manufacturing facilities and build supply chains virtually overnight to produce desperately needed PPE.

“We are united in our support of important principles that must be adopted in order to address our current public health needs and guarantee our nation is better prepared to respond to future emergencies,” the 21 associations said in the joint statement.

The associations are calling on Congress and the Trump administration to adopt principles outlined in the statement through legislation, executive order and other appropriate means.

See the full joint statement and principles here.

The statement was signed by the following organizations. Please see relevant contacts where provided:

• AFL-CIO
• Alliance for American Manufacturing
• American Iron and Steel Institute
• American Sheep Institute
• Coalition for a Prosperous America
• Georgia Association of Manufacturers
• Hand Tools Institute
• INDA: Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry
• Narrow Fabrics Institute
• National Cotton Council
• National Council of Textile Organizations
• Parachute Industry Association
• Rhode Island Textile Innovation Network
• SEAMS: Association of the U.S. Sewn Products Industry
• SEIU
• South Carolina Textile Council
• U.S. Industrial Fabrics Institute
• United States Footwear Manufacturers Association
• United Steelworkers
• Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition
• Workers United/SEIU

 ###

DOWNLOAD RELEASE

MAIN PRESS CONTACT:

NCTO

Kristi Ellis

(202) 684-3091

www.ncto.org

 

Coalition for a Prosperous America

Melissa Tallman, (202) 688-5145 ext. 3

National Cotton Council

Marjory L. Walker, (901) 274-9030

Rhode Island Textile Innovation Network

Michael M. Woody, (401) 331-8483

SEAMS: Association of the U.S. Sewn Products Industry

Will Duncan, (803) 642-1111

Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition

David Costello, (617) 875-2492

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Council of Textile Organization’s (NCTO) Fiber Council announces Lauren Biggs of Charlotte, NC as the recipient of the 2020 Paul T. O’Day Scholarship Award.  She is the daughter of Sheila Price and Alexander Graham Biggs, III, who is employed by Unifi, Inc.

Ms. Biggs graduated in June with high honors from Myers Park High School.  She will attend the University of South Carolina entering the program for Computer Science this fall.  She is grateful to the NCTO Paul T. O’Day Scholarship Committee for choosing her as this year’s scholarship recipient stating, “Your generosity is truly humbling and greatly appreciated. Being awarded the Paul T. O’Day Scholarship will make a huge difference in my finances while I work to achieve my goal of becoming a creative problem solver, leader and innovator in the fiber industry just as Mr. O’Day was for so many years.  Thank you again for this honor.  I hope to one day give back to those who gave so much.”

NCTO Fiber Council Chairman David Poston, President of Palmetto Synthetics LLC, commented, “We are pleased to recognize Ms. Biggs’s record of achievements and passion for learning as we name her the 2020 recipient of our Paul T. O’Day Memorial Scholarship.  On behalf of the Fiber Council, we congratulate Ms. Biggs and wish her continued success in her academic career.”

The scholarship program was created in 2014 in honor of Paul T. O’Day who served as President of the American Fiber Manufacturers Association (AFMA) for more than three decades. The Association merged with the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) in April 2018, and NCTO’s Fiber Council now administers the scholarship program.  Recipients receive a $5,000 award each year, totaling $20,000 for four years of study.  Sons or daughters of NCTO’s Fiber Council member company employees are eligible to apply.

 

NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers, including artificial and synthetic filament and fiber producers.

• U.S. employment in the textile supply chain was 585,240 in 2019.
• The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $75.8 billion in 2019.
• U.S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $29.1 billion in 2019.
• Capital expenditures for textile and apparel production totaled $2.5 billion in 2018, the last year for which data is available.

# # #

DOWNLOAD RELEASE

CONTACT: Kristi Ellis

(202) 684-3091

www.ncto.org