CFDA and Ralph Lauren Propel American Fashion Heritage Forward

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (Cfda) is taking a step forward in protecting the domestic industry. The institution has announced two new initiatives to boost U.S. fashion creation, innovation and job development in the country. This project is funded by the Ralph Lauren-owned grant fund, which has been used to fund fashion manufacturing in the United States and will provide grants to designers and garment manufacturers in the country.

The U.S. Fashion Manufacturing Fund, created with Ralph Lauren as a founding partner, will run from 2027 to 2029 and will extend grant funding for innovation and workforce development beyond New York, reaching key regions across the country, including California, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Florida.

This program will provide grants to manufacturers investing in advanced machinery, software and job training to strengthen skills and attract talent to textile production. The funding will cover 80% of the total and the beneficiaries will contribute the remaining 20%.

The project will carry out two rounds of funding over the next two years, in addition to awarding one of the beneficiaries with the manufacturing award

During this year and the following year, two rounds of financing will be held, allowing manufacturers to invest in innovation, expand their production capacity and preserve local employment. In each round, one manufacturing grantee will receive the Ralph Lauren Manufacturing Award, which awards the full amount of the grant in recognition of the most innovative approach to driving their business forward.

Cfda already launched a fashion manufacturing initiative in 2013, together with the New York Economic Development Corporation and also with the support of Ralph Lauren, on which this new project is based.

The U.S. company has so far contributed around $2 million, making it the main sponsor of the initiative, which has led to grants to 54 factories and the creation of more than 2,000 new jobs.