NCTO
NCTO is a nonprofit trade association representing the full U.S. textile manufacturing supply chain, from fiber through finished products, by providing policy advocacy, government relations, workforce development, and industry communications to its domestic manufacturer members.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What NCTO does
NCTO (National Council of Textile Organizations) is a nonprofit trade association, founded around 2003 and headquartered at 1701 K St. NW in Washington, D.C., with a secondary office in Cherryville, North Carolina. It represents the entire U.S. textile manufacturing supply chain, from fiber producers through yarn spinners, fabric mills, home furnishings companies, and apparel manufacturers. The organization functions as the unified lobbying and policy advocacy voice of the domestic textile industry before Congress, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Defense, with a focus on trade policy, government procurement rules (including the Berry Amendment), customs enforcement, and workforce development. In 2018, NCTO merged with the American Fiber Manufacturers Association (AFMA), expanding its representation to include man-made fiber producers.
NCTO's core offerings are membership services rather than commercial products. Its revenue model is built on recurring membership dues from domestic textile manufacturers. Deliverables include policy advocacy and lobbying, industry statistical reporting, the annual TEXTURES Magazine, the daily Textiles in the News (TIN) digital platform, the "American Textiles: We Make Amazing" rebranding campaign, workforce development partnerships with NC State's Wilson College of Textiles, Gaston College, and Catawba Valley Community College, and an annual meeting that convenes industry executives with policymakers. The organization has a small staff (1-10 employees) and is led by President and CEO Kim Glas, with a 2026 Chair (Amy Bircher Bruyn of MMI Textiles) and Vice Chair (Jay Todd of Service Thread) drawn from member companies. NCTO does not develop proprietary technology and has no public API or software product; its competitive position rests on its regulatory access, its full supply-chain representation, and its relationships with federal decision-makers.
NCTO firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NCTO
- Legal name
- National Council of Textile Organizations
- Website
- https://ncto.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- NCTO is a nonprofit trade association representing the full U.S. textile manufacturing supply chain, from fiber through finished products, by providing policy advocacy, government relations, workforce development, and industry communications to its domestic manufacturer members.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NCTO industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industry Trade Association
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support) (BPAGALAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD)
Keywords
Where NCTO is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
NCTO business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: NCTO generates revenue through membership dues from domestic textile manufacturers across the supply chain, from fiber to finished sewn products.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
NCTO product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) is a nonprofit trade association that represents the full spectrum of the U.S. textile industry, from fiber through finished sewn products. Its core offering is industry advocacy and policy representation in Washington, D.C., providing member manufacturers with trade policy support, customs enforcement advocacy, government procurement representation (Berry Amendment), regulatory engagement, and industry communications through publications, events, and the Textiles in the News news platform.
Product overview
NCTO is a trade association representing the entire spectrum of the U.S. textile industry. Its primary offerings include industry advocacy and policy representation in Washington, D.C., publications such as TEXTURES Magazine (an annual inspirational and thought-provoking magazine highlighting the textile industry's renaissance), and the Textiles in the News (TIN) daily news platform. NCTO does not offer a unified software product but rather serves as an advocacy organization providing membership services, policy positions, industry events, and news resources to domestic textile manufacturers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- American Textiles: We Make Amazing: A rebranding campaign launched by NCTO to challenge outdated perceptions of the U.S. textile sector and promote the industry's innovations and contributions.
Products and services
- NCTO Membership Program Annual membership program for domestic textile manufacturers, providing policy advocacy, government relations, industry data and statistics, networking events, and communications platforms. Members span the full textile supply chain from fiber producers through apparel manufacturers.
- NCTO Annual Meeting Annual industry gathering delivering the State of the U.S. Textile Industry address, policy discussions, council meetings, and networking for textile industry members, government officials, and stakeholders.
Quantifiable outcome
- Preserved USMCA and CAFTA-DR trade agreement benefits
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use NCTO
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
NCTO technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
NCTO partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major and core.
- Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA)minorAFFOA is an NCTO Affiliate Member. AFFOA is a Defense Department program matched three to one with private dollars, tasked with developing and commercializing next-generation high-performance textiles.
- American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC)minorAATCC is an NCTO Affiliate Member, serving the textile industry with standards, testing methods, and professional development.
- American Flock AssociationminorEstablished in 1984, the American Flock Association represents manufacturers of roll-to-roll coated textiles, papers, films, and coaters of three-dimensional objects as an NCTO Affiliate Member.
- American Sheep Industry AssociationminorASI represents more than 88,000 sheep producers and is a federation of 45 state sheep associations as an NCTO Affiliate Member.
- Manufacturing Solutions CenterminorBased in Conover, NC, the Manufacturing Solutions Center provides testing, business incubation, product development, and training services as an NCTO Affiliate Member.
- CIRFSminorCIRFS is an NCTO Affiliate Member, representing the man-made fiber industry at an international level.
- North Carolina State University (Wilson College of Textiles)majorNCTO has partnered with NC State's Wilson College of Textiles and Gaston College on workforce development initiatives. The partnership has extended to Honduras through MOU with Central American Technological University (UNITEC) to educate and train students for textile jobs as nearshoring drives historic investments.
- Gaston CollegemajorPartnered with NCTO and other institutions on textile workforce development, hosting signing ceremony for Honduras MOU and industry roundtables with government officials.
- Catawba Valley Community CollegemajorParticipated in workforce development partnership with NCTO to support textile industry training needs and nearshoring initiatives.
- Warrior Protection and Readiness CoalitioncoreNCTO partnered with the Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition on advocacy efforts to secure DPA Title III funding access for the U.S. textile industry and defense supply chain.
Scale indicators32 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
NCTO competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA): Trade association representing apparel, footwear, and sewn products companies in the U.S. Like NCTO, AAFA conducts policy advocacy, trade policy work, and government relations in Washington, D.C., with overlapping membership across finished textile and apparel manufacturers.
- INDA (Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry): Trade association serving the nonwoven fabrics industry with advocacy, statistics, and member services. Directly comparable to NCTO as a textile sub-segment association with similar policy and trade agenda for its members.
- SEAMS (Southeastern Apparel Manufacturers & Suppliers Association): Association representing sewn products and apparel manufacturers, primarily in the U.S. Southeast. Comparable to NCTO in mission (domestic sewn products representation, supply chain advocacy) with significant overlap on workforce development and sourcing issues.
- Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI): Trade association for the industrial fabrics industry, representing manufacturers of technical and specialty textiles. Directly comparable to NCTO as a textile-specific industry body focused on member advocacy, market data, and policy engagement.
- American Apparel Producers Network (AAPN): Network connecting apparel producers, brands, and suppliers in the Western Hemisphere. Comparable to NCTO in its nearshoring focus, sourcing advocacy, and CAFTA-DR/Western Hemisphere supply chain representation.
Broad incumbents
- National Association of Manufacturers (NAM): Largest U.S. manufacturing trade association representing all sectors in Washington, D.C. Comparable to NCTO's policy advocacy function but at a much broader industry scope; textile members often hold dual memberships.
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Largest U.S. business lobby with broad trade, tax, and regulatory advocacy across all sectors. Comparable to NCTO in its Washington-based policy advocacy function, though vastly broader in scope and resources.
Regional players
- Euratex (European Apparel and Textile Confederation): European umbrella organization for the textile and apparel industry, engaging in EU-level trade and sustainability policy. Comparable to NCTO in mission and structure, but operating across European rather than U.S. jurisdictions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks2 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
NCTO social profiles
Digital presenceNCTO financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NCTO leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
NCTO funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NCTO M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NCTO
What does NCTO do?
The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) is a nonprofit trade association that represents the full spectrum of the U.S. textile industry, from fiber through finished sewn products. Its core offering is industry advocacy and policy representation in Washington, D.C., providing member manufacturers with trade policy support, customs enforcement advocacy, government procurement representation (Berry Amendment), regulatory engagement, and industry communications through publications, events, and the Textiles in the News news platform.
Is NCTO a public or private company?
NCTO is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was NCTO founded?
NCTO was founded in 2003. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is NCTO based?
NCTO is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does NCTO make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership Dues.
Who are NCTO's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), INDA (Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry), SEAMS (Southeastern Apparel Manufacturers & Suppliers Association), Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) and American Apparel Producers Network (AAPN). Broad incumbents are National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Euratex (European Apparel and Textile Confederation) is listed as a regional player.
Does NCTO have an API?
No public API is recorded for NCTO.
What industry is NCTO in?
NCTO's product category is Industry Trade Association. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAL, Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support), with a secondary code of BPADANAD, Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation.