Champion Thread Opens US Dyehouse with Service and Sustainability in Mind
As supply chain disruptions persist, companies in the apparel manufacturing space continue to have conversations about nearshoring — bringing facilities closer to the U.S. to ease uncertainties and avoid shipping delays. The latest company to take action is Champion Thread Company (CTC), a manufacturer of sewing threads, yarns, and fabrics.
It recently opened a new thread and yarn dyeing facility in Clover, South Carolina — close to its Gastonia, North Carolina headquarters. CTC says the domestic manufacturing investment strengthens its customer service, sustainability, capacity, and local workforce. It also allows CTC to dye its yarns and threads locally to speed deliveries, expand scheduling flexibility, reduce costs, and ensure color accuracy.
“At a time when global supply chain disruptions and uncertainties abound, we are strengthening our capacity as the go-to, on-time supplier that our textile and sewn products customers need to meet fast-changing market needs,” CTC President Matt Poovey says. “In addition to boosting our service, this investment supports our ongoing focus on building lean, flexible manufacturing operations and environmentally sustainable products and operations. Our teams’ impressive commitment to seeing us through the pandemic made this investment in the American textile workforce a simple decision for us.”
A press release says the facility is one of a few such dyehouses built in the U.S. in a generation. It comprises low-liquor ratio dyeing equipment (reducing water usage and energy) and on-demand boilers (reducing dyehouse emissions). The CTC facility also features process automation, monitoring, and control systems. The operation increases local finish winding, twisting, and packaging capacity for threads and yarns.
To get the most from the new technologies, CTC is retraining existing team members and recruiting for new positions.
About Champion Thread
Founded in 1979, CTC develops industrial sewing threads, specialty yarns, elastic fabrics, labels, hang tags, and other textile accessories. Family-owned and operated, CTC aims to deliver a service and partnership forgotten by larger firms and unsustainable for small suppliers.
