U.S. textile industry welcomes reciprocal trade agreement with El Salvador
The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) has welcomed the U.S. administration’s newly announced reciprocal trade agreement with El Salvador under the Dominican Republic–Central America–United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR).
NCTO represents the full U.S. textile supply chain, from fiber and yarn to fabrics and finished sewn products. The organization said the agreement strengthens a key export market and supports American textile manufacturers and workers.
Kim Glas, President and CEO of NCTO, praised the administration’s decision to take action on qualified textile and apparel goods from El Salvador. She noted that the move helps reinforce an established co-production model that connects U.S. textile producers with manufacturing partners in Central America.
“El Salvador plays an important role in the CAFTA-DR region, which is closely tied to the U.S. textile supply chain,” Glas said. “This relationship supports jobs at home and provides a reliable production network for the region.”
According to NCTO, the U.S.–CAFTA-DR textile and apparel supply chain generated $11.3 billion in two-way trade in 2024. The domestic textile sector alone supports more than 470,000 U.S. workers, many of them in manufacturing communities that depend on stable export demand.
Glas also thanked President Donald Trump, U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, and the administration for finalizing the agreement. She emphasized that a strong Western Hemisphere supply chain helps U.S. producers remain competitive against lower-cost imports from Asia, particularly China.
NCTO said it looks forward to continued collaboration with the administration to strengthen trade relationships across the region and support long-term growth for the U.S. textile industry.
