Textile Furnishings Mills NAICS 3141

Sep 26, 2025 - Flooring Sales Show Pockets of Growth Despite Uncertainty

• According to Floor Covering News, flooring dealers are entering the fall season with mixed expectations. While some, like IQ Floors and Ted’s Floors & Beyond, report year-over-year sales growth of 8% and 2.25% respectively, others anticipate flat performance due to high interest rates, rising tariffs, and a sluggish housing market. Mortgage rates remain elevated, and job openings fell to 7.18 million in July, the lowest since April 2021. The outlook is significant for textile mills producing rugs and carpets, as demand for flooring materials is closely tied to housing activity and renovation trends. A rebound in consumer spending and new construction could drive increased orders for soft flooring products. However, mills must remain agile in managing input costs, navigating tariff pressures, and aligning production with shifting retail demand across price points and product categories.
• Textile Mills manufacturing is one of the seven manufacturing industries reporting growth in August’s Manufacturing ISM Report on Business. Textile Mills manufacturers reported increases in new orders, production, raw materials prices, orders backlogs, and inventories while reporting lower employment, low customer inventories, and slower supplier deliveries. Other industries reporting growth were Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Petroleum & Coal Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; and Primary Metal. Ten manufacturing industries reporting contraction during the period were Paper Products; Wood Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; Transportation Equipment; Furniture & Related Products; Machinery; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Computer & Electronic Products; Chemical Products; and Fabricated Metal Products. Overall, economic activity in the manufacturing sector contracted for the sixth consecutive month in August, with the Manufacturing PMI registering 48.7%.

• US consumer mood indicators have weakened, signaling potential headwinds for spending. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell 1.3 points in August 2025, with the decline driven by younger consumers under 35, while confidence among those over 55 improved. Meanwhile, the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index slipped to 55.4 in early September from 58.2 in August, down 21% year over year. Inflation expectations held steady, but persistent worries about prices and tariff impacts remain. Consumer sentiment and confidence are leading indicators of discretionary spending, which drives two-thirds of U.S. economic activity. A continued slump suggests households may curb purchases and delay big-ticket decisions, raising risks for retailers, service providers, and the broader economy.
• An expansive bill signed into law by President Trump in July 2025 includes a provision to eliminate the de minimis exemption, according to a report in Supply Chain Drive. The exemption had allowed imports under $800 to enter the US duty and tax free. While the change was slated to go into effect in 2027, the Wall Street Journal said the White House is ending the exemption as early as August 29, 2025. The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) supported the Trump administration’s closing of the “destructive” de minimis loophole, which it said gave an unfair trade advantage to foreign producers. The new bill establishes a civil penalty for anyone trying to use de minimis entry in a way that violates any other provision of US customs law. Earlier this year, the Trump administration had removed the de minimis exemption for imports from China and Hong Kong.