American-Made Clothing Starts With American-Made Textiles, And We’re Running Out of Those

When you hear “Made in America,” you probably think of hardworking hands behind a sewing machine—stitching, cutting, pressing. And that’s true. At Bards, your garments are proudly made right here on U.S. soil.

But what about the fabric?

That’s where the story starts to unravel.

In the 1960s, nearly all the clothing sold in America was made in America. That included the weaving mills, the places where raw fiber was spun into fabric. Today, less than 3% of clothing sold in the U.S. is made here, and even less of the textiles are woven domestically. Most of the cotton we grow gets shipped overseas to be spun and dyed, only to be sent back, or not at all.

We still have American mills. We still have weavers. But they’re few, and they’re fighting uphill. Places like American Woolen in Connecticut, or small batch denim and canvas mills across the South, are doing work that once defined entire towns. They’re not gone yet, but without support, they soon will be.

Here’s the good news: we do still make the clothing here. And we’re not giving up on that. But if you’ve ever wondered why your American-made shirt uses imported fabric, it’s because we’ve left the mills behind.

If we want to revive American clothing, we have to revive American textiles. That means celebrating every part of the process: from farm to fiber, mill to memory.

So next time you see us highlight a mill-woven flannel or Connecticut-woven wool, know that you’re not just wearing your story, you’re helping write a new chapter for American industry.

Want to see more American textiles in our collections? Let us know what you'd love to wear next

Or come visit the showroom and see for yourself what homegrown craftsmanship looks like.