American Circular Textiles (ACT) has called on the U.S. administration to place textiles at the forefront of trade and industrial policy, warning that the country’s current lack of domestic capacity in key textile segments poses risks to national security and economic resilience.
The appeal follows a White House briefing led by U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, where President Donald Trump’s administration reiterated its focus on recalibrating trade relations with China, particularly in critical sectors such as semiconductors and steel.
ACT applauded the administration’s commitment to rebuilding U.S. industrial strength but stressed that the textile sector must not be overlooked. “You can’t talk about rebuilding critical infrastructure without talking about textiles,” said Rachel Kibbe, CEO and founder of ACT. “From military uniforms to disaster response and circular economy innovation, this sector is foundational. The administration must prioritise domestic textile capacity in both trade and industrial policy.”
Currently, the U.S. lacks large-scale capacity to manufacture essential textile items such as military uniforms, cut-and-sew goods, and recycled fibres, according to ACT. The organization warned that this shortfall undermines both commercial operations and national defense preparedness.
ACT also voiced support for ongoing legislative efforts to close the “de minimis” loophole, which allows low-cost imports and ultra-fast fashion products to enter the country with minimal scrutiny or tariffs. Closing this loophole is seen as a necessary step to protect U.S. textile manufacturers from unfair competition.
However, the organization emphasized the need to distinguish secondhand goods from new imports. “Secondhand goods are critical to sustainability and should not face the same restrictions as new, mass-produced products,” ACT stated.
In a recent move, ACT published its policy document, A National Blueprint for Effective EPR, outlining a vision for a scalable extended producer responsibility (EPR) framework for textiles. The blueprint focuses on building circular infrastructure and reforming waste management policies to support sustainable growth in the sector.
The comments come as the U.S. and China agreed to a temporary 90-day easing of tariffs. Beginning 14 May, U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports will drop from 145% to 30%, while China will lower its tariffs on U.S. imports to 10%.
ACT said it will continue dialogue with Congress and the Biden administration to ensure that both virgin and recycled textile infrastructure in the U.S. receives the investment and policy attention it urgently requires.
