Industry Challenge: Today, the U.S. textile industry lacks a complete digital thread that connects the entire manufacturing chain, from fiber generation to final product assembly. While some digital tools exist, many manufacturers: 

• Do not adopt them due to cost or complexity 

• Work with tools that are not standardized or interoperable 

• Cannot easily meet government security or compliance requirements 

Without a unified, secure, and widely adopted digital infrastructure, the textile industry cannot fully realize the efficiencies and cost savings that industries like automotive and aerospace have achieved through digital-first design and manufacturing.  

Project Goal: Our goal is to complete a comprehensive assessment of digital tools used across the textile supply chain (from fiber to factory floor, including Tier 1-3 manufacturers). This effort will: 

• Map which software tools and data formats are currently in use 

• Assess how commercial tools are used or where custom workarounds replace them 

• Evaluate the utility, interoperability, and pain points of these systems 

• Identify missing tools, workflows, or processes that would have the biggest impact on cost, quality, and scalability 

This analysis will form the foundation for building a “Digital Engineering for Textiles” Playbook, and a five-year “Digital Manufacturing Roadmap” for industry-wide transformation.  

Expected Benefits: This effort will expand access to manufacturing optimization and automation toolsets, enabling faster time-to-market for new products and a more resilient domestic supply chain. The shared Playbook will provide a trusted reference of best practices, lessons learned, and proven implementation strategies, with non-proprietary information made available to manufacturers as a resource for upgrading their operations. The five-year Roadmap will outline key initiatives, milestones, and investment priorities to guide industry transformation beyond current capabilities. 

Get Involved: We are actively gathering industry data on software tool use and digital workflows. You can support this effort by: 

• Completing our survey: affoa.org/digital 

• Scheduling a discovery call: Contact us at DigitalEngineering@affoa.org 

Your input will directly shape the future of digital manufacturing for textiles, and ensure you have direct access to this project’s deliverables.