Textile firms welcome amendment
18/02/2009
US textile associations have welcomed an amendment to the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed by President Barack Obama on February 17 stating that textile and apparel products bought by the US Department of Homeland security should be manufactured in the US with 100% US components.
The amendment was the idea of Congressman Larry Kissell of North Carolina, the state with the most to gain because of the concentration of textile industry players there. Congressman Kissell himself worked in the hosiery industry for nearly 30 years.
“It’s not going to be the same for every textile company in the US, but every little bit helps,” said Martin Foyle, chairman and chief executive of Tuscarora Yarns during a press conference after the act was approved.
Hardy Poole, government procurement specialist for the National Textile Association, said: “When you’re seeing the retail meltdown we’re seeing today, even a small contract can be the difference between a plant staying open or a plant going out.”
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