New York is considered the American hub for textiles. The US fabric market is one of the nation's most important manufacturing sectors. With more than 230,000 workers, the textile industry represents approximately 2% of the total American manufacturing workforce. Meanwhile, the industry - be it, manufacturers of textiles, raw materials, yarns, fabrics, apparel and home furnishings, represents investments of upward of $1.2 billion in total capital expenditures.However, there has been no synergy amongst the textile, sourcing and apparel shows that visit New York bi-annually. Not until the July edition of NYC Textile Week, that is.Many new fabrics and innovations were on display and topics of discussions were rife at the recent New York Textile Week, where executives converged on trade fairs Texworld USA, Premiere Vision, Milano Unica and Spin Expo.“Texworld USA is pleased to be one the creators of this exciting new initiative. NYC Textile Week is the link that ties together all the textile events being held in New York City and offers a bountiful amount of diverse textile offerings for the attendees that visit from all corners of the globe,” said Dennis Smith, President of Messe Frankfurt, when speaking of the event.With the NYC Textile Week done and dusted for a second edition, what textile and sourcing themes were discussed?According to WWD, the key issues for visitors and exhibitors were: Made In America’s new reality; the lure of the US market; and the importance of performance fibers and fabrics.The Made in America textile and apparel revival that began merely as a nice thought a few years ago is significantly becoming an industrial revolution. Companies expressed their personal experiences of strong growth and increased business from brands and retailers seeking the quick-turn, quality and flexibility that they offer - as American suppliers.In addition, the yarn business is getting some extra oomph for the athleisure movement and the desire for comfort in clothing. There is a cutting-edge approach to fiber, fabric and yarn manufacturing, moved forward by technological advances, as well as economic and political shifts.Essentially, the global textile world is moving at a far more rapid pace. And, with the quality of off-shore manufacturing decreasing significantly, brands are seeking firms closer to home, meaning textile merchants are making the move back to American shores - even setting up in New York.It's for this reason more money is being put into fostering a thriving textile business in the Big Apple. At NYC Textile Week, the Council of Fashion Designers of America outlined its Fashion Manufacturing Initiative; a $3 million public-private investment fund created to nurture, elevate and preserve the local sector. Some 13 grants have been awarded already, totaling $1.2 million.Elsewhere at the event, the Economic Development Corp. relayed it had expanded its Made in NY program to the fashion industry, with $15 million in public and private funds set aside for existing programs such as FMI, the CFDA Incubator and programs that help emerging designers get flexible financing.However, Eric Johnson, director of the Fashion & Arts Teams Center for Economic Transformation at NYC Economic Development Corp., told WWD that it's unrealistic to believe that New York will return to its former textile glory, when it employed 100,000 decades ago. “But it’s about having that vital critical mass so that any designer that is looking to produce product in New York is able to do it,” added Johnson.