Media Alert: American Circular Textiles Responds to U.S.–China Trade Briefing
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 13, 2025
American Circular Textiles Responds to U.S.–China Trade Briefing: Textiles Must Be Recognized as a Critical Sector
In yesterday’s White House briefing, U.S. USTR Ambassador Greer and Treasury Secretary Bessent emphasized the Administration’s commitment to rebalancing the U.S.–China trade relationship, particularly in “critical sectors” such as steel and semiconductors. American Circular Textiles applauds President Trump, Ambassador Greer, and Secretary Bessent for their clear focus on protecting American industry and national resilience.
American Circular Textiles also urges policymakers to explicitly include textiles in the definition of critical U.S. supply chains. The U.S. currently lacks the capacity to produce essential goods like military uniforms, cut-and-sew items, and recycled fibers at scale—leaving us vulnerable in both commercial and national defense contexts.
“You can’t talk about rebuilding critical infrastructure without talking about textiles,” said Rachel Kibbe, CEO & Founder of American Circular Textiles. “From military uniforms to disaster response and circular economy innovation, this sector is foundational. The Administration must prioritize domestic textile capacity in both trade and industrial policy.”
We commend the continued rollback of the de minimis loophole, which has enabled the unchecked flow of ultra-fast fashion and cheap imports. This change is a crucial step toward rebuilding American competitiveness. However, American Circular Textiles strongly supports a clear exemption for secondhand goods, which play a vital role in environmental progress and should not be penalized alongside new product inflows.
As trade negotiations evolve, we will continue engaging with Congress and the Administration to ensure U.S. textile infrastructure—new and recycled—is prioritized and protected.
Media Contact:
press@circularservicesgroup.com
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About us:
American Circular Textiles is a first-of-its-kind coalition of over 30 organizations aimed at developing and supporting circular textile policy opportunities that will incentivize sustainable manufacturing jobs, maximize resource allocation, educate consumers, and protect our supply chains and environment. We represents a new sector and business model that transitions from a linear “take make waste” business model, to one focused on growth through the reuse and recycling of our limited planetary resources. Our membership includes some of the leading organizations driving textile circularity in the United States through facilitating reuse, recycling, rental, repair, technology and innovation.
