New Federal Plan Aims to Replace Synthetic Fabrics With American Cotton

The United States Department of Agriculture has launched the Great American Cotton Plan to support cotton farmers and protect Americans from “forever chemicals” in our daily lives.

Over the past decade, America has moved to almost all synthetic fibers, often for clothing and linens made of plastics such as polyester, nylon, polypropylene, and polyethylene. While America has been propping up the Chinese plastic textile industry, American consumers have been wearing poisonous clothing, not supporting farmers, and shipping a majority of cotton exports to Brazil.

Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins calls the plan the “next step in the MAHA movement.”

“Supporting natural fibers like cotton also aligns with the Make America Healthy Again agenda as Americans grow increasingly concerned about microplastics and synthetic materials in everyday products,” Rollins said in a press release.

The Department of Health and Human Services has been sounding the alarm on microplastics and “forever chemicals” for some time. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin recently pledged a $1 billion grant to detect and remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chemicals known for their persistence in the environment.

The substances are linked to cancer, infertility, and more. They are found in many consumer products, including clothes, and can persist in water and soil for decades.

“Cotton is natural, breathable, biodegradable, and proudly grown by American farmers—not manufactured from petroleum-based plastics that can shed microplastics into our soil, water, and bodies,” Rollins continued.

This initiative will also benefit American cotton farmers, putting America first.

Over the past decade, American cotton farmers have been in decline due to economic pressures. USDA predicts cotton producers could lose over $2.5 billion across 9 million planted acres during the next year.

“Since 1607, cotton has helped build and sustain rural America. Our farmers grow some of the highest-quality cotton in the world, but over the last several years America’s cotton growers have been crushed by rising costs, unfair foreign competition, and a flood of cheap synthetic products,” Rollins said.

The initiative will work to promote domestic cotton production by partnering with HHS to promote plants over plastic, encouraging consumers to buy American cotton products. It will also work to promote domestic demand by partnering with Congress to support the bipartisan Buying American Cotton Act. It also aims to improve trade in textile countries like Indonesia and Bangladesh, and it will support farmers as they encounter farming hardships such as the spread of pests and rising seed costs.

Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., took to social media celebrating the plan, vowing to continue supporting American cotton in Congress.
Reps. David Rouzer, R-N.C., and Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., also pledged their support.

“The Trump Administration is committed to ensuring American cotton once again becomes the fiber of choice with the Great American Cotton Plan—a bold effort to restore profitability for cotton producers, strengthen rural economies, rebuild domestic textile manufacturing, and bring American cotton back into the products families use every day,” Rollins said.