Clothing manufacturers in the USA

The state of US clothing manufacturing

The US lost roughly 97% of its garment manufacturing to offshore production between 1970 and 2013. A combination of lower labor costs abroad, trade agreements that reduced import tariffs, and retailer pressure for lower unit prices drove the shift. By the early 2010s, the domestic garment industry had shrunk to a fraction of its former size. What remains is concentrated in a few geographic clusters: Los Angeles has the largest active garment manufacturing sector, particularly for contemporary fashion. New York has a concentration of specialty and technical manufacturers. Pockets of the southeast — North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia — have legacy operations from the pre-offshore era. A revival is underway. Driven by brands wanting supply chain transparency, shorter lead times, and the ability to visit their factory, domestic manufacturing has seen renewed interest. The number of small, brand-focused US factories has grown, particularly in Los Angeles.

Advantages of manufacturing in the USA

Shorter supply chain and lead times. A domestic factory can turn orders in weeks rather than the months required for overseas production. This matters for brands that need to respond to seasonal demand or restock quickly. Easier quality control and factory visits. You can visit your factory without international travel. Catching quality issues in person, early in a production run, is far easier than managing them remotely. "Made in USA" labeling. The FTC's standard requires all or virtually all domestic production. The label carries weight with consumers, particularly in categories where provenance matters: workwear, heritage products, and premium natural fiber clothing. No import duties on domestically manufactured goods. Depending on the product category and sourcing country, import duties on finished goods can add 12 to 32% to landed cost. Domestic production eliminates this. Better alignment with US labor standards. US factories are subject to federal and state labor law, including minimum wage requirements, overtime rules, and workplace safety standards enforced by OSHA.

Limitations

Significantly higher cost per unit. US labor costs are substantially higher than in major offshore manufacturing countries. This is the primary tradeoff and it is a real one — domestic production often costs two to five times more per unit than equivalent offshore production. Fewer specialist natural fiber manufacturers. The US offshore manufacturing shift disproportionately affected natural fiber garment manufacturing. Finding a US factory experienced in constructing wool outerwear, linen shirts, or cashmere knitwear is harder than finding one for jersey or denim. Smaller capacity. US factories generally operate at smaller scale than their Asian counterparts. A large factory in Bangladesh might produce 100,000 units per month; a significant US factory might produce 10,000. For high-volume production, capacity constraints become relevant.

What US clothing manufacturers typically offer

CMT (cut, make, trim) is the most common arrangement. You supply the fabric, and the factory cuts the pattern, sews the garment, and attaches trims. You maintain control over fabric sourcing, which matters if you are building on certified sustainable material. Some US factories offer full package production, sourcing domestic or imported fabric on your behalf. This is more convenient but gives you less control over the fabric supply chain and its certifications. Minimum orders vary widely. Small factories that specialize in working with emerging brands often accept 50 to 100 units per style. Mid-size factories typically start at 300 to 500 units. The practical reality for most small brands is that the small, low-minimum factories are the accessible entry point.

Finding US manufacturers

Trade shows are a practical way to connect with manufacturers. LA Textile includes a manufacturing component and connects designers with LA-area factories. The Chicago Textile show covers the midwest market. Maker's Row is a sourcing platform specifically for US manufacturers, with a searchable database filterable by product type, location, and minimum order. It has stronger coverage of apparel manufacturers than most general sourcing platforms. Regional apparel associations maintain directories of member manufacturers. The California Fashion Association covers LA-area manufacturers. AMSCAN (American Manufacturer Supplier Connection) has broader national coverage. Direct outreach to factories in industrial districts in Los Angeles (particularly the Fashion District and Vernon) and New York (Garment District) is also effective for small brands. Many factories do not market themselves heavily but will take meetings from brands with real production needs.

Natural fiber manufacturing in the USA

Wool milling has a meaningful domestic presence, particularly in New England and the Pacific Northwest. New England has heritage wool mills — some dating back to the 19th century — that still operate and produce fabric from US-sourced wool. The Pacific Northwest has a smaller cluster of mills working with domestic and regional wool. Cotton growing and processing has some domestic presence, primarily in Texas and the southeast. Organic cotton is grown domestically, with some mills processing it into fabric in the US. The scale is much smaller than offshore cotton processing. Linen production in the US is very limited. Flax, the plant linen comes from, requires specific growing conditions that are not widely present in the US. Almost all linen fabric sold in the US is processed in Europe — Belgium, France, and Lithuania are the primary sources.

Common questions

Browse natural fiber clothing brands, many made in the USA, in The Plain Thread directory.