Trump clears DPA funds for US textile sector, NCTO welcomes move

“We sincerely thank President Trump for authorising 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 US textile industry, a strategic industry that supports the US military and national security priorities. NCTO formally requested a presidential determination last year, urging immediate action to allow the US textile and uniform industry to utilise the DPA Title III program to bolster domestic production capacity, sustain critical supply chains, and meet evolving national defense needs,” said NCTO president and CEO Kim Glas.

“Under the Berry Amendment, a law requiring the DoW to purchase 100 per cent US-made textiles and clothing, the US textile and apparel industrial base provides more than $1.8 billion in uniforms, body armour, footwear, and individual equipment annually to the US 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 US manufacturing operations to rapidly scale production of personal protective equipment (PPE), demonstrating the programme’s effectiveness in strengthening domestic industrial capacity in times of national need,” explained Glas.

“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 service members across all operational environments,” added Glas.

“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 service members across all operational environments,” Glas concluded.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)