Parkdale Mills

Parkdale Mills stands as one of the most enduring names in American cotton yarn manufacturing, with a history stretching back to 1916 when a group of entrepreneurs in Gastonia, North Carolina, chartered the company to meet the demands of a nation at war. From its earliest days producing parachute yarns and military-grade cotton threads, Parkdale Mills built a reputation for quality craftsmanship and high-volume production that would define its trajectory for over a century.

The company began active operations in 1918, spinning approximately 425 tons of thread yarn in a single plant location in Gastonia, North Carolina. Growth came steadily over the following decades, and by the 1960s, Parkdale opened its second facility, doubling its capacity and signaling the beginning of a larger expansion strategy. Through a combination of acquisitions and new plant construction, Parkdale grew rapidly through the 1980s and 1990s, operating 18 yarn-spinning plants in the United States by 1992.

Today, Parkdale Mills is widely recognized as the world’s largest independent cotton yarn manufacturer. The company operates dozens of plants across the United States and internationally, with facilities extending into Mexico, Colombia, and Honduras. Parkdale serves a broad customer base that includes producers of apparel, home textiles, military fabrics, and specialty industrial goods. Its product range includes combed cotton yarns, open-end spun yarns, and blended fibers that meet the standards of leading global brands.

Privately held and headquartered in Gastonia, North Carolina, Parkdale Mills continues to invest in modernizing its production lines and expanding its geographic footprint, reinforcing its position as a pillar of American textile manufacturing and a significant employer across the southeastern United States.