EVENT INFO
The Federal and Defense Textile and Tactical Equipment (FEDTEX) Summit hosted by the Office of US Senator Thom Tillis, Office of Senator Ted Budd, the North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) and the North Carolina Defense Technology Transition Office (DEFTECH) connects the US Department of Defense (DoD) and federal agency clothing and individual equipment buyers with US textile manufacturers, textile supply chain suppliers, cut and sew contractors, research and development (R&D) facilities, testing labs and academic resources.
Who should attend- All prime textile manufacturers and textile supply chain manufacturers currently producing clothing, footwear, parachutes and textile-based tactical equipment for DoD, and producers of medical, PPE and related soldier systems. Any textile manufacturers that have interest in learning, understanding or possibly entering the DoD/federal marketplace should attend this Summit. The event is open to all United States and Puerto Rico based textile firms.
FEDTEX 25 objectives:
- Engage with existing contractors and attract new capable businesses into the federal and defense clothing, textiles, and tactical equipment marketplace.
- Engage existing textile supply chain suppliers and attract new capable businesses into the federal marketplace, and to connect these component suppliers with federal prime contractors.
- Inform the industrial and academic R&D ecosystem about desired future military technology requirements, and likewise inform DoD agencies about emerging and future textile innovations.
- Establish a productive and DIRECT dialogue between businesses, government, and academia around critical warfighter issues in the defense textile marketplace - including workforce, supply chain, inflation challenges, and barriers to entry.
WHEN. May 20-21, 2025
WHERE.
North Carolina State University - McKimmon Conference Center
1101 Gorman Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27606
SUMMIT PARTNERS.
- eTextileCommunications.com
- North Carolina Textile Technology Center at Gaston College
- Manufacturing Solutions Center at Catawba Valley Community College
- Manufacturing & Textile Innovation Network
- NCDMCSP, a program of Industry Expansion Solutions
- National Council of Textile Organizations
- INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry
- Southern Textile Association
- The Needle’s Eye
- Association and Voice of the U.S. Sewn Products Industry
CONTACT
Questions? Contact
Courtney Smedick
courtney@ncmbc.usLee Moritz
moritzl@ncmbc.usErin Ananian-Gentile
erin@ncmbc.usABOUT THE NC MILITARY BUSINESS CENTER
The North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) is a business development entity of the North Carolina Community College System, headquartered at Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC). The mission of the NCMBC is to leverage military and other federal business opportunities to expand the economy, grow jobs and improve quality of life in North Carolina. The NCMBC’s primary goal is to increase federal revenues for businesses in North Carolina. The Department of Defense has an annual impact of $80 billion and is the second largest sector of North Carolina’s economy (12% GDP). With six major military bases, 116 National Guard and 40 Army Reserve facilities and the third highest number of uniformed military personnel in the country, the State of North Carolina created the NCMBC to leverage opportunities with these installations, DoD commands and federal agencies operating worldwide.