Textile leaders mount fight for "industry survival"

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 6/11/2003 2:07:00 PM

Washington — Leaders from the six largest trade associations representing the U.S. textile and fiber industry yesterday unanimously approved a coordinated lobbying campaign designed to ensure what they termed "the industry's survival."

"The U.S. government's lack of follow through on its commitments concerning textile trade policy has thrown the U.S. textile, fiber and apparel industry and its nearly one million workers into a life or death struggle," said Billy Moore, ATMI chairman and executive vp of governmental and investor relations of Unifi Inc.

The lobbying effort is designed to convince the U.S. government that it needs to act swiftly to counter the threat from China. The groups released a report from ATMI, claiming that, unless the government acts, China will gain control of 65 percent and 75 percent of the U.S. apparel market once quotas on Chinese imports are removed on January 1, 2005, and "will destroy" the U.S. textile and apparel industries.