For Immediate Release: August 20, 2012
Contact: Tim Truman (202) 482-3809
Senior Obama Trade Official Promotes 'Made in USA' Apparel, Textiles, and Footwear
U.S. Department of Commerce, City of Los Angeles Collaborating on Sourcing Registry
LAS VEGAS – U.S. Department of Commerce Under Secretary for International Trade Francisco Sánchez and City of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today announced efforts to develop an online resource that will showcase domestic suppliers of apparel, textiles, and footwear. Sánchez and Villaraigosa made the announcement at the opening of the “Americas” Pavilion at the largest apparel sourcing trade show in North America – M.A.G.I.C., formerly known as Men’s Apparel Guild in California.
“There is incredible demand for products stamped with the label: ‘Made in the USA’ globally, but it’s sometimes difficult to identify domestic resources for these products. We are collaborating to develop a new registry that will assist anyone looking for U.S. textile, footwear and apparel manufacturers,” Sánchez said. “I applaud Mayor Villaraigosa for his efforts in Los Angeles, and look forward to exploring opportunities to work together to strengthen manufacturers in his city, and across the nation.”
“LA style is casual and low-key, but our manufacturing muscle is anything but,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa. “We hope our work with the Los Angeles Regional Export Council will connect the links in our apparel supply chain so that when companies want to do business with LA’s apparel industry they will know right where to go. We look forward to working in concert with the Department of Commerce in this effort.”
The textile and apparel sector has a critical role in achieving the goal of President Obama’s National Export Initiative – doubling U.S. exports by the end of 2014 in order to support millions of American jobs. In 2011, U.S. textile and apparel exports exceeded $22.4 billion – an increase of 35 percent from 2009. The U.S. textile and apparel industry directly supports nearly 400,000 jobs. Forty U.S. apparel sourcing firms are participating in the “Americas” Pavilion.
Las Vegas is the first stop on Under Secretary Sánchez’s “Made in America” tour to promote the benefits of strengthening America’s manufacturers and expanding U.S. exports to create jobs. He will also visit Phoenix and Denver on the tour.###
International Trade Administration
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