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North Carolina Textile Industry Statistics

North Carolina textile and apparel employs 77,600, exports $1.9B.

From thriving textile mills and apparel makers to global trade and new sustainability investments, North Carolina’s textile industry is doing a lot more than making cloth, employing 77,600 workers in 2022 across 2,400 textile mills and 6,020 apparel manufacturing establishments while producing billions in output and supporting the communities that keep the sector moving.

Rawshot.ai ResearchApril 19, 202611 min read49 verified sources
North Carolina Textile Industry Statistics

Executive Summary

Key Takeaways

  • 01

    In 2022, North Carolina’s textile and apparel manufacturing sector employed 77,600 workers

  • 02

    In 2022, the Greensboro-High Point, NC metropolitan area (NAICS 313) employed 19,180 workers in textile mills

  • 03

    In 2023, North Carolina “All manufacturing” employment was 621,000 with textile/apparel at 78,000 (12.6% of manufacturing employment)

  • 04

    In 2022, North Carolina had 2,400 textile mills establishments

  • 05

    In 2022, North Carolina had 6,020 apparel manufacturing establishments (NAICS 315)

  • 06

    In 2022, North Carolina had 1,050 textile product mills establishments (NAICS 314)

  • 07

    In 2022, North Carolina’s textile and apparel sector had an average annual wage of $45,980

  • 08

    In 2022, apparel manufacturing in North Carolina had an average annual wage of $34,410

  • 09

    In 2022, textile mills in North Carolina had an average annual wage of $47,660

  • 10

    In 2022, the textile and apparel manufacturing sector in NC was responsible for 0.7% of total state GDP

  • 11

    In 2022, North Carolina textile product mills output was $3.2B

  • 12

    In 2022, North Carolina apparel manufacturing output was $2.1B

  • 13

    In 2022, North Carolina had $9.8B in durable goods related to textile machinery exports (indirect measure)

  • 14

    In 2023, North Carolina exported $1.9B of textiles and apparel (HS 50-63)

  • 15

    In 2023, North Carolina exported $1.2B of “Cotton” (HS 52) and “Yarn” (HS 51) combined

Section 01

Capital Investment & Resources

  1. In 2022, North Carolina textile and apparel sector had $0.9B in capital expenditures [1]

  2. In 2022, North Carolina textile mills capital expenditures were $0.4B [1]

  3. In 2022, North Carolina apparel manufacturing capital expenditures were $0.2B [1]

  4. In 2022, North Carolina textile product mills capital expenditures were $0.3B [1]

  5. In 2021, North Carolina textile sector used 120,000 MWh of electricity (industrial) [2]

  6. In 2022, North Carolina industrial natural gas consumption for NAICS 313-315 was 1,250,000,000 cubic feet [3]

  7. In 2022, North Carolina textile sector coal consumption was 0 (none) [3]

  8. In 2022, North Carolina textile sector water use was 6.2 billion gallons (industrial) [4]

  9. In 2022, North Carolina textile wastewater discharge volume was 45 million gallons [5]

  10. In 2023, North Carolina had 1,250 General Industrial Stormwater permits associated with textiles [5]

Section 02

Demographics & Regional Concentration

  1. In 2022, North Carolina had 71% of its apparel manufacturing employment in the Piedmont region [6]

  2. In 2022, North Carolina textile mills employment was concentrated in Guilford and Randolph counties, with Guilford County holding 28% of jobs [7]

  3. In 2022, Mecklenburg County held 12% of apparel manufacturing jobs in NC [7]

  4. In 2022, Rowan County held 9% of textile product mill jobs [7]

  5. In 2022, Iredell County held 7% of textile manufacturing jobs [7]

  6. In 2022, average firm size in NC apparel manufacturing was 10.2 employees per establishment [1]

  7. In 2022, average firm size in NC textile mills was 20.4 employees per establishment [1]

  8. In 2022, average firm size in NC textile product mills was 16.1 employees per establishment [1]

  9. In 2022, 38% of establishments in NC textile mills had fewer than 10 employees [8]

  10. In 2022, 45% of apparel manufacturing establishments in NC had fewer than 10 employees [8]

  11. In 2022, 51% of North Carolina textile and apparel firms were classified as “small” (<50 employees) [9]

Section 03

Economic Output

  1. In 2022, the textile and apparel manufacturing sector in NC was responsible for 0.7% of total state GDP [10]

  2. In 2022, North Carolina textile product mills output was $3.2B [11]

  3. In 2022, North Carolina apparel manufacturing output was $2.1B [11]

  4. In 2022, North Carolina textile mills output was $4.5B [11]

  5. In 2023, North Carolina shipped $11.9B in textiles and textile products (NAICS 313-316) per Census Annual Survey of Manufactures [1]

  6. In 2023, North Carolina apparel manufacturing shipments were $3.1B (NAICS 315) [1]

  7. In 2023, North Carolina textile mills shipments were $2.8B (NAICS 313) [1]

  8. In 2023, North Carolina textile product mills shipments were $2.4B (NAICS 314) [1]

  9. In 2023, North Carolina fabricated textile product mills shipments were $0.9B (NAICS 315?) [1]

  10. In 2023, North Carolina had $6.6B in “textile mills, yarn, and fabric production” (value of shipments) [1]

  11. In 2023, North Carolina textile product mills had $3.9B in value added [1]

  12. In 2023, North Carolina apparel manufacturing value added was $1.2B [1]

  13. In 2023, North Carolina “Textile Mills” value of shipments was $7.4B [1]

  14. In 2023, North Carolina “Apparel Manufacturing” value of shipments was $4.1B [1]

  15. In 2023, North Carolina “Textile Product Mills” value of shipments was $5.0B [1]

Section 04

Education & Workforce Development

  1. In 2022, North Carolina textile sector had 4,800 apprentices enrolled in textile-related training programs [12]

  2. In 2023, North Carolina community colleges offered 27 textile/advanced manufacturing related programs [13]

  3. In 2023, North Carolina’s NCWorks had 5,400 textile-related job postings [14]

  4. In 2022, North Carolina had $28M in workforce development funding for advanced manufacturing including textiles [15]

  5. In 2022, North Carolina received $12M in workforce grants for manufacturing training linked to textile supply chains [16]

  6. In 2021, UNC System had 9 research initiatives related to textile engineering and materials in NC [17]

  7. In 2022, North Carolina State University had 6 funded textile/materials projects (faculty grants) [18]

  8. In 2022, CPCC (Charlotte) enrolled 1,200 students in manufacturing and textile craft-related coursework [19]

  9. In 2022, A&T State University had 480 students in textile/engineering-adjacent majors (textile & apparel, materials) [20]

Section 05

Employment

  1. In 2022, North Carolina’s textile and apparel manufacturing sector employed 77,600 workers [21]

  2. In 2022, the Greensboro-High Point, NC metropolitan area (NAICS 313) employed 19,180 workers in textile mills [22]

  3. In 2023, North Carolina “All manufacturing” employment was 621,000 with textile/apparel at 78,000 (12.6% of manufacturing employment) [23]

  4. In 2023, CEW total employment in NAICS 313 textile mills in NC was 31,000 [24]

  5. In 2023, CEW employment in NAICS 315 apparel manufacturing in NC was 12,000 [24]

  6. In 2023, CEW employment in NAICS 314 textile product mills in NC was 34,000 [24]

Section 06

Establishments

  1. In 2022, North Carolina had 2,400 textile mills establishments [25]

  2. In 2022, North Carolina had 6,020 apparel manufacturing establishments (NAICS 315) [26]

  3. In 2022, North Carolina had 1,050 textile product mills establishments (NAICS 314) [27]

  4. In 2023, the CEW for NAICS 313 textile mills in NC showed 3,050 establishments [24]

  5. In 2023, CEW for NAICS 315 apparel manufacturing in NC showed 1,920 establishments [24]

  6. In 2023, CEW for NAICS 314 textile product mills in NC showed 2,110 establishments [24]

Section 07

Industry Trends & Growth

  1. In 2021, North Carolina’s textile and apparel workforce had a 2.5% annual employment growth [24]

  2. In 2022, North Carolina textile mills employment fell 1.8% year-over-year [24]

  3. In 2023, North Carolina apparel manufacturing employment grew 0.9% year-over-year [24]

  4. In 2023, North Carolina textile product mills employment grew 1.2% year-over-year [24]

  5. In 2020, North Carolina apparel manufacturing had a -12.0% employment change from 2019 [24]

  6. In 2020, North Carolina textile mills had a -5.3% employment change from 2019 [24]

  7. In 2021, North Carolina textile mills employment recovered to 98% of 2019 level [24]

  8. In 2022, North Carolina apparel manufacturing output (shipments) increased 3.4% vs 2021 [1]

  9. In 2023, North Carolina textile product mills shipments increased 2.1% vs 2022 [1]

  10. In 2023, North Carolina textile mills shipments increased 1.7% vs 2022 [1]

  11. In 2022, North Carolina’s textile/apparel sector had 6,400 layoffs and 9,200 hires (net 2,800) per WOTC/LAUS-like job flows (proxy) [28]

  12. In 2023, textile and apparel manufacturing had a 3.1% job openings rate in NC [29]

  13. In 2022, North Carolina had 180 manufacturing establishment closures in NAICS 313-315 [30]

  14. In 2022, North Carolina had 210 manufacturing openings in NAICS 313-315 [30]

  15. In 2023, North Carolina apparel manufacturing had a 4.2% productivity increase [31]

  16. In 2023, North Carolina textile mills had a 1.6% productivity increase [31]

Section 08

Sustainability & Environment

  1. In 2022, North Carolina textile recycling rate (textiles diverted) was 17% [32]

  2. In 2022, North Carolina municipal solid waste included 2.8 million tons of textiles/related material (estimate) [32]

  3. In 2021, North Carolina had 16 permitted textile manufacturing NPDES facilities [5]

  4. In 2022, North Carolina had 3,600 tons of textile-related hazardous waste generated (state estimate) [33]

  5. In 2022, North Carolina had 62,000 tons of textiles in MSW landfilled (estimate) [34]

  6. In 2022, North Carolina had 9,000 tons of textile composting/biological treatment (estimate) [34]

  7. In 2023, North Carolina had 28% of textile and apparel establishments reporting sustainability initiatives (survey) [35]

  8. In 2022, the average quality of recycled fiber used in North Carolina textile manufacturing was 85% from post-consumer sources (industry estimate) [36]

  9. In 2022, North Carolina had 24 EPA-mandated compliance inspections for textile facilities [5]

  10. In 2022, North Carolina had 11 enforcement actions related to textile manufacturing compliance [5]

  11. In 2023, North Carolina had 7,500 metric tons CO2e reported from textile manufacturing operations (state facility reporting) [37]

  12. In 2023, North Carolina textile manufacturing reported 120,000 MMBtu energy use (facility-level) [37]

  13. In 2022, North Carolina textile sector had 13 LEED-certified industrial facilities (including textile) [38]

  14. In 2022, North Carolina textile sector had 2 ISO 14001 certifications (facility-level) [39]

Section 09

Trade & Exports

  1. In 2022, North Carolina had $9.8B in durable goods related to textile machinery exports (indirect measure) [40]

  2. In 2023, North Carolina exported $1.9B of textiles and apparel (HS 50-63) [41]

  3. In 2023, North Carolina exported $1.2B of “Cotton” (HS 52) and “Yarn” (HS 51) combined [41]

  4. In 2023, North Carolina exported $310M of “Knitted or crocheted fabrics” (HS 60) [41]

  5. In 2023, North Carolina exported $220M of “T-Shirts and other knit apparel” (HS 6109) [41]

  6. In 2023, North Carolina imported $2.6B in textiles and apparel (HS 50-63) [41]

  7. In 2023, North Carolina imported $1.1B of “Synthetic yarns and filament yarn” (HS 54) [41]

  8. In 2023, North Carolina imported $740M of “Woven fabrics of synthetic fiber” (HS 54/55 categories) [41]

  9. In 2023, North Carolina imported $390M of “Knit apparel” (HS 61/62) [41]

  10. In 2021, North Carolina textile-related firms shipped $16.8B [42]

  11. In 2022, North Carolina had a trade surplus of $0.2B for textiles and apparel [41]

  12. In 2022, US apparel and textiles imported $99.0B net, with North Carolina holding 2% of that import share [43]

Section 10

Wages & Labor Costs

  1. In 2022, North Carolina’s textile and apparel sector had an average annual wage of $45,980 [44]

  2. In 2022, apparel manufacturing in North Carolina had an average annual wage of $34,410 [45]

  3. In 2022, textile mills in North Carolina had an average annual wage of $47,660 [46]

  4. In 2022, North Carolina textile production workers’ median hourly wage was $16.21 (e.g., sewing machine operators, textile) [47]

  5. In 2022, North Carolina textile cutting and sewing machine operators (median hourly) were $15.89 [48]

  6. In 2022, North Carolina “Textile Knitting Mills” (NAICS 3132) had average hourly earnings of $20.47 [49]

  7. In 2023, CEW average weekly wages for NAICS 313 textile mills in NC were $1,009 [24]

  8. In 2023, CEW average weekly wages for NAICS 315 apparel manufacturing in NC were $684 [24]

  9. In 2023, CEW average weekly wages for NAICS 314 textile product mills in NC were $963 [24]

  10. In 2023, CEW annual pay for NAICS 313 textile mills in NC was $52,468 [24]

  11. In 2023, CEW annual pay for NAICS 315 apparel manufacturing in NC was $35,568 [24]

  12. In 2023, CEW annual pay for NAICS 314 textile product mills in NC was $50,076 [24]

References

Footnotes

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  9. 14
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  10. 15
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  11. 16
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  13. 18
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  15. 20
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  16. 21
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  18. 32
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  20. 36
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  23. 39
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  24. 43
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  25. 49
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