Just this year 33 U.S. textile plants have closed and more than 30,000 jobs have been lost. Many blame cheaper foreign imports.
A company in Schuylkill County is using foreign imports to its advantage, while still making American clothes.
April Hartranft is a seamstress at Alpha Mills in Schuylkill Haven. There American-made clothing is made dispite other textile plants closing and jobs being lost.
"I just think that sewing is going to be a lost art. Fewer and fewer people know how to do it and are not being trained because fewer industries are willing to do the training, so I feel very sad," Hartranft said.
"Since I was 18 I have been here, that's all I know right now. It is kind of heartbreaking to see the industry go by the in the last 15 to 20 years go the the wayside like it has," said Alpha Mills worker Bill Schafer.
Officials at Alpha Mills have taken foreign competition and turned it to their advantage. Clothing imports from third world nations are shipped to Alpha and distributed. Alpha also sells its own American-made clothing. That practice is expanding.
Alpha Mills was recently approved for a $660,000 state loan. It will be used to diversify not only the local products but also their foreign-made goods.
"It is a double-edge sword because it would be great if we were making those goods. Unfournatly the demand isn't there. It's very soft for domestic textile production," said Chris Brauer of Alpha Mills.
Alpha Mills officials aren't thrilled about handling foreign imports but it's helping them make a profit and proping up the sewing operation, operations which have failed in other parts of the country.
A company in Schuylkill County is using foreign imports to its advantage, while still making American clothes.
April Hartranft is a seamstress at Alpha Mills in Schuylkill Haven. There American-made clothing is made dispite other textile plants closing and jobs being lost.
"I just think that sewing is going to be a lost art. Fewer and fewer people know how to do it and are not being trained because fewer industries are willing to do the training, so I feel very sad," Hartranft said.
"Since I was 18 I have been here, that's all I know right now. It is kind of heartbreaking to see the industry go by the in the last 15 to 20 years go the the wayside like it has," said Alpha Mills worker Bill Schafer.
Officials at Alpha Mills have taken foreign competition and turned it to their advantage. Clothing imports from third world nations are shipped to Alpha and distributed. Alpha also sells its own American-made clothing. That practice is expanding.
Alpha Mills was recently approved for a $660,000 state loan. It will be used to diversify not only the local products but also their foreign-made goods.
"It is a double-edge sword because it would be great if we were making those goods. Unfournatly the demand isn't there. It's very soft for domestic textile production," said Chris Brauer of Alpha Mills.
Alpha Mills officials aren't thrilled about handling foreign imports but it's helping them make a profit and proping up the sewing operation, operations which have failed in other parts of the country.
