Textiles

Textiles

THE VERY FIBER OF INNOVATION.

The nation’s only college devoted entirely to textiles. 29,000+ STEM graduates per year. The largest nonwovens workforce in the nation. North Carolina is where a rich textile tradition meets a thriving, high-tech hub, creating an unparalleled environment for both textiles and nonwovens companies.

395+ textile manufacturers in the state and #1 for number of textile mill facilities nationwide#1 Largest Nonwovens Workforce in the USCNBC Top State for Business 2022, 2023
AN UNPARALLELED INDUSTRY PRESENCE

North Carolina exports roughly $1.4 billion in textile goods globally each year, leading the nation with nearly 20% of all U.S. textile exports. Home to the largest textile mill industry in the U.S., the state employs more than 39,000 people. An industry presence this big means there’s never a shortage of skilled workers and valuable supply chain partners.

A DEDICATED LEARNING & INNOVATION CENTER

North Carolina State University’s globally recognized College of Textiles leads the nation in nonwovens research and industry partnerships. And by educating the next generation of textile specialists, it regularly streams new entrants through our state’s talent pipeline.

A WORKFORCE THAT WORKS HARDER

More than 39,000 people work directly in NC’s textile manufacturing sector. This includes the largest nonwovens manufacturing workforce in the U.S. Thousands of North Carolinians work in occupations that have transferable skill-sets for the industry.

AN EASY CONNECTION TO END-USERS

The state’s two deepwater seaports and two Class 1 rail carriers provide access to millions of suppliers and customers. Even better, NC’s advanced textile landscape is highly diverse and proximity to end users is second to none. Whether your materials are a fit for transportation vehicles, home & office furnishings or medical/hygiene products, you’re in the right place.

 

“North Carolina is a recognized center for nonwoven manufacturing and R&D and we have identified here a strong infrastructure to support our business.”

– Ilan Pickman, CEO, Shalag Industries Ltd

Industry Support

THE NONWOVENS INSTITUTE AT N.C. STATE UNIVERSITY (NWI)
The world’s first accredited academic program for the interdisciplinary field of engineered fabrics. The NWI is an innovative global partnership between industry, government and academe.
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TEXTILE PROTECTION AND COMFORT CENTER (T-PACC) AT N.C. STATE UNIVERSITY
A world leader in laboratory-based instrumented systems, its facilities are devoted to analysis of heat and flame protection, chemical resistance and comfort performance.
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ZEIS TEXTILES EXTENSION
Located at NC State University, ZTE provides training and certification in textiles and serves the industry's prototyping production needs for entrepreneurs as well as corporations.
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COTTON INCORPORATED
An initiative funded by U.S. growers of upland cotton and importers of cotton/cotton textile products, is the premier research and marketing company representing upland cotton.
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CAROLINA TEXTILE DISTRICT
Offers qualified sourcing, a full value-chain connection through its Mill Network program and an incubator for textile entrepreneurs.
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ASSOCIATION OF THE NONWOVEN FABRICS INDUSTRY (INDA)
INDA provides sourcing and business development services to hundreds of member companies in the nonwovens industry.
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IN GOOD COMPANY

Frontier Spinning Mills Logo
Saertex Logo
Hanes Brands Inc Logo
Kimberly-Clark Logo
Spuntech Industries Inc. Logo
Unifi Logo
National Spinning Co. Logo
Parkdale Logo
Glen Raven Logo
Gildan Activewear Logo
Burlington Logo
Everest Logo

Do you have a potential investment in Textiles?

Click here to connect with our Business Development Team.