soldier to mountain-climbing gear to seat belts, and more. Indeed, textiles look positively cool and sexy in this campaign, as we all know they are. One reporter was so enamored of the story each image told that she asked for copies of the posters.

At NCTO’s Annual Meeting, Michael Cable, P.R. lead at Wray Ward advertising agency in Charlotte, urged members to post the campaign materials in their offices and plants. I’m not sure how many members have, but I’d like to also ask you to do so. Wednesday was testament to the impact this campaign can have on those who may not be aware of everything that textiles touch and how important made-in-America textiles are to our country and communities.

Wray Ward, which is handling the rebranding campaign, recently debuted a “We Make Amazing” billboard on the “Textile Corridor” of on I-85 in North Carolina. That’s helpful, too, of course.

Reiterating Cable’s comments in April, he encouraged textile industry representatives to share positive stories and to help influence the perception held by journalists. Invite them into your plants to tell “news stories about the textile industry that reflect our view in order to create positive awareness among our audiences.”

Beyond the media, he urged members to communicate directly with business partners and influencers “to change the perception of the industry among this vested population.” Also, using the hashtag #WeMakeAmazing,” he encouraged attendees to partner with NCTO to use social media as an avenue for sharing information, engaging with audiences, connecting companies across the industry and driving traffic to the industry’s story.

Wednesday, Mountain Shoals’ Plant Manager Kemp Smith spoke to the media about the industry’s image problem.

“Most people think the textile industry is gone, that it’s no longer here,” he said, as the cameras rolled. “It is still here and it’s strong and vibrant. We have companies that exist and create very innovative products. The problem we have is we have an image that we need to change.”

Rob Chapman, Inman Mill’s chairman, CEO and treasurer – who currently serves as NCTO chairman – certainly understands that message and is happy to share the industry’s good story with guests in his offices and plants. It’s a great step forward.

Posted August 4, 2016

It was good to walk into Inman Mills’ conference room Wednesday in Enoree, S.C., and see the walls full of pictures highlighting American-made textiles. The captioned images are just some of the collateral being used as part of the National Council of Textile Organizations’ (NCTO’s) textile industry rebranding campaign, launched during its 13th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., in April.

I was at Inman’s Mountain Shoals and Ramey Plants to interview company officials and employees about the fabric they made that went into Olympic ceremony uniforms to be worn by U.S. athletes in Rio de Janeiro. The news media was greeted by several of these posters that exemplify the campaign, dubbed “American Textiles. We Make Amazing.”

I can’t overstate the importance these images have in changing the perception of U.S. textile manufacturing, especially among the media. The vignettes show textiles “in action,” from inside an operating room to the garments of a