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 26 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 19-20, 2026
Due to the government travel restrictions FEDTEX 2025 is postponed to 2026.

WHERE.
North Carolina State University - McKimmon Conference Center
1101 Gorman Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27606

Directions

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