WASHINGTON, DC, July 27, 2026 __ The United States Footwear Manufacturers Association is pleased to welcome as its newest supplier member American & Efird, a leading manufacturer and distributor of industrial and consumer sewing thread.
Founded in 1891, A&E operates over two-dozen manufacturing facilities worldwide, including four in North Carolina, and has more than 10,000 employees. It supports industries ranging from automotive and medical to apparel and is the largest supplier of sewing thread for the U.S. military, including for uniforms, backpacks, tents, chin straps, and combat boots.
“A&E make up the bedrock of the American textile industry, including the footwear sector,” said USFMA Executive Director Bill McCann. “We are thrilled to have their expertise and manufacturing prowess as we further demonstrate that the domestic footwear industry is primed to meet growing demand, especially for military boots that must be produced in the United States.”
“There continues to be challenges to companies manufacturing in the U.S.,” said Mark Hatton, the company’s Managing Director for the Americas. “We would like to see our domestic manufacturing base grow and are ready to meet this new demand head on. And we also want to help other domestic footwear producers and suppliers to survive and thrive.”
Hatton said the company is eager to work with USFMA and its members to advocate for trade and investment policies that empower the American textile industry, including ensuring that the U.S. military is fully complying with the Berry Amendment, which bars the Pentagon from buying food, clothing, fabrics, fibers, yarns, and other textiles that are produced outside the United States.
“Military footwear is an extremely important market for us,” Hatton said. “For that reason, we are quite obviously very bullish on U.S. manufacturing.”
“USFMA’s growing membership illustrates the deeply rooted industrial might of the domestic footwear industry,” added McCann. “We are committed to helping it continue to grow. That includes advocating for passage this year of the bipartisan BOOTS Act. I am confident that A&E will be critical to achieving our ‘Made in the USA’ objectives.”