The story of American textile manufacturing has long been shaped by labor economics and shifting trade policies. In 2024, the U.S. imported more than $28billion in textile goods from China and over $5 billion from Mexico - countries whose trade dynamics can change with the stroke of a pen. But if the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that reactive policy shifts, like tariff-based reshoring, are not a comprehensive strategy.
Instead, we need to focus on a future where advanced manufacturing - powered by automation, robotics, and AI - is our true competitive edge. This sector is poised for significant growth and opportunity, expecting to reach $535.5 billion by2030. It’s not about competing with low-skill labor overseas. It’s about leading with high-skill technology at home. For decades, apparel manufacturing was synonymous with repetitive, manual labor. But today, we’re standing at the edge of a transformation: digitally enabled, highly automated production that can match offshore cost efficiencies while delivering speed, precision, and sustainability. The U.S. already leads in technology. Now, we must apply that advantage to how we make clothes. Computer vision, physical AI, and robotics are no longer experimental - they’re deployable. These tools allow us to reimagine factories not as rows of extremely labor-intensive sewing machines but as smart systems that adapt in real-time, reduce human error, and streamline production without compromising creativity or craftsmanship.
For those of us building this next chapter of U.S. manufacturing, the goal isn’t just to modernize - it’s to leapfrog. To rethink the foundation, not just the finish. The economic upside is clear. Automation reduces labor dependency, stabilizes production costs, and ends our reliance on fragile, offshore supply chains. Brands get faster speed to market, and consumers get better-made goods built with reliable technology.
The environmental cost of fast fashion has never been higher, producing 92million tons of textile waste annually, with a large portion ending up in landfills. Worse, in less than five years, emissions from textile manufacturing alone are projected to increase by 60 percent if something does not change .Overproduction, excess inventory, and material waste have become the norm in a supply chain built for scale, not sustainability. There is a significant opportunity to break that cycle by leveraging robotic assembly, digital adhesive technology, and automation to build a smarter, cleaner system from the ground up.
Why now? Because the urgency is no longer theoretical. Bills in California are being introduced to hold brands accountable for the entire lifecycle of their products to better support recycling, reuse and repair. Government representatives are recognizing that climate risk is real. Consumer expectations have shifted. And the technology to drive circularity - from robotic assembly to digitally applied adhesives to zero-waste production models - is finally ready for prime time.
To those of us working on the inside of these systems, it’s clear: a circular economy isn’t a trend, it’s the only viable future. We need to stop treating sustainability as a siloed initiative and instead embed it directly into our manufacturing models.
A common misconception is that automation replaces jobs. The truth is, it changes them - and often for the better. The rise of advanced manufacturing opens the door for a more resilient U.S. workforce built on technical skills, career mobility, and long-term economic growth.
We’re not looking to rebuild the low-wage textile factories of the 1980s. The industry as a whole needs to be focused on building high-tech facilities that require trained operators, automation specialists, quality technicians, and engineers. That means upskilling programs, apprenticeships, and meaningful work in regions that need economic revitalization.
If you’re building systems for the future, you must build workforce pathways alongside them. It’s not optional - it’s essential. When companies invest in people alongside technology, it creates stronger operating models and better ROI for brands - and a more equitable, future-facing economy for workers.
Rebuilding American textile manufacturing doesn’t mean going backward. It means pushing forward with purpose, precision, and vision.
Technology has been at the heart of U.S. economic competitiveness for over 40years - from Silicon Valley to biotech to renewable energy. The apparel industry must now do the same. Let’s stop thinking of clothing as a commodity and start thinking of it as a high-tech product. Because the smarter we make our factories, the stronger and greener our entire industry becomes. And if we get it right - this isn’t just a comeback story. It’s a reinvention.
Cam Myers is CEO and Founder of CreateMe, a company revolutionizing apparel manufacturing through automation and sustainable practices. Myers founded CreateMe in 2018, with the mission to redefine how clothes are designed, made and sold in the 21stCentury. He currently holds 24 patents.
Prior to CreateMe, Myers was on the founding executive team for Group Commerce (now merged with NimbleCommerce), and previously held roles at DoubleClick, Group Commerce, and Allen & Company. Cam holds a BA with Honours and a Masters of Art in History from the University of Cambridge, and received his MBA at Northwestern University.