|
The Berry Amendment has been in effect since 1941, basically requiring that the military buy American when it comes to clothing and textiles. According to a recent article in a textile industry publication, the military wants to loosen up its Buy American restrictions.
This is from “Specialty Fabrics Review,” the publication of the Advanced Textiles Association:
“Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) staff are considering proposals to reconfigure the Berry Amendment, including establishing a final assembly-only requirement, allowing the use of foreign textile components.
However, it’s important to note that any change to Berry Amendment rules would require action by Congress as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The 2026 NDAA is still under consideration in Congress, with the U.S. Senate and House passing different versions of the act earlier this year. Neither version includes a “final assembly only” requirement.
The U.S. Senate adopted its version of the NDAA Oct. 9. The Senate’s version did not include language to eliminate the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) level under the Berry Amendment. The SAT allows the purchase of foreign-made military textiles for Department of Defense contracts below $150,000. The House’s version, however, did.
The NDAA now proceeds to a Conference Committee where the two chambers will attempt to reconcile any existing differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. As a result of the U.S. government shutdown, it is not known when the final version of the bill will be produced.
These topics are expected to be major agenda items for the 2026 U.S. Industrial and Narrow Fabrics Institute (USINFI) Advocacy Days.
The DOD awards about $2 billion in textile contracts annually for items such as uniforms, clothing, gear and shelters; the Berry Amendment ensures those taxpayer dollars remain with U.S. businesses.
USINFI and the Military Division of Advanced Textiles Association will continue to work together to advocate for issues pertinent to the industry and member companies.”
——————————–————————————–
North Carolina has a significant stake in this. Around 28,000 people work in our textile and apparel plants. That has declined around 70% over the past 20 years, the result of foreign competition and automation. But it is still a significant industry, and one reason why the Wilson College of Textiles at NC State is the only textiles college in North America.
So the proposed changes would mean that fibers, yarns, fabrics, and components — would no longer be required to be U.S.-made. If a garment is sewn in America, the fabric and materials could come from anywhere in the world. The problem with far-flung supply chains is that they can be disrupted. We saw this in the pandemic. So if military clothing relies on overseas fabrics or, say, zippers or buttons, and those supply chains are disrupted, that will be a problem. The domestic suppliers will be out of business, and it won’t be easy to bring them back.
There have been long-standing concerns in DLA that the domestic supply chain for textiles, apparel and components is not robust, and some items have only a few suppliers. Giving the military greater flexibility to find new suppliers outside the U.S. is seen as a solution. But another solution would be to build back up the U.S. supply chain with predictable demand and spending. The military can help more manufacturers with capital expenditures and worker training, and with the development of next-generation fibers, coatings, and protective technologies.
North Carolina has worked hard to stay innovative. Besides Wilson College, there is The Nonwovens Institute next door on Centennial Campus. There is the Manufacturing Solutions Center in Conover. There is the remarkable work at Gaston College’s new Fiber Innovation Center.
The North Carolina Military Business Center has one of its regional program managers, Lee Moritz, focused on ways to get more North Carolina textile and apparel companies to become suppliers to the military. A veteran of the textile industry and a military veteran, he is based at the Manufacturing Solutions Center, which is part of Catawba Valley Community College.
In addition, NCMBC annually holds the Federal and Defense Textile and Tactical Equipment (FEDTEX) Summit, scheduled for May 19-20 at the McKimmon Center at NC State. The whole purpose of this summit is to bring together suppliers – both primes and subs — as well as academics, military program managers and contracting officers.
This story was originally published in the N.C. Military Report. To subscribe, click here.
|
