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We would typically do either an end-of-year wrap up or a-look-forward-to-2026 feature in January. But this has not been a typical year. Our attention has not been able to land for long to contemplate the implications of an action taken by the current administration before another action pulls our attention a different direction.
Regardless of your political views, the uncertainty created by this administration has been taxing. Businesses must plan—and follow through with those plans—as their business associates, customers and suppliers are counting on them. It’s a complex web of decisions, really, and any business, from a small local shop to a large multinational, counts on the facts available at the time those calls must be made. We all know this.
So the obvious question is, “When will businesses be able to rely on the information coming out of Washington? Tariffs, yes. But the repercussions of on-going tariff changes have so angered some trading partners that some supply chains and other critical relationships are in question—or they’re already gone. I’m oversimplifying a very complicated scene, but I hope I am also reflecting the frustration of SMEs, in particular, whose futures are literally in the balance.
Academia is also impacted, especially those engaged in research projects funded by federal grants, and it isn’t just the funding itself. Cuts to the federal workforce, including entire agencies, such as USAID, have reduced the number of program managers—the people to whom researchers report. The program managers left to deal with seismic change may be completely unfamiliar with a project-in-process and unable to answer important questions the researchers have about reports they are obligated to provide concerning a received grant.
Much of the work on projects funded by these grants is done by graduate students who are often from countries outside the U.S. The institutions depend on their ability to recruit top candidates; the students need assurances that they will be able to complete the research begun. Even if both are reliable today, those involved may feel that the situation is still unsettled.
Executive orders concerning diversity and equity (DEI) further complicated projects by flagging language deemed unacceptable. What could happen to a research project on women’s health or safety? Could it pulled simply because its focus is on females? How can the researchers even object if there’s no department to access?
I have no doubt that the industry will not just survive all of this as academics, manufacturers, and end product producers find creative ways to endure. They’re all smart people, and this industry has been here a long time. We’re not going anywhere. We’ll figure it out.
Janet Preus is senior editor of Textile Technology Source. She can be reached at janet.preus@textiles.org.