Cone Denim Will Leave China and Lean on Mexico

Cone Denim, the Greensboro company whose name is stitched into American denim history, announced on Thursday that it is restructuring its manufacturing footprint and will exit denim production in China by the end of 2026.

The company says the move follows a review of the global denim market, its manufacturing footprint, customer sourcing needs and long-term strategy. It cited shifting trade conditions, changing sourcing patterns, cost pressure, supply chain considerations and geopolitical developments as reasons the China operation has become less competitive and viable.

Mexico Becomes the Core

Cone's existing Mexico operations will become its main denim manufacturing platform, which the company says will support customers across key markets. In the meantime its teams are contacting customers to understand their needs and honor existing commitments, and Cone says it will keep up short-term fabric supply while planning future sourcing. Details of the transition will be shared as they become available.

The company did not disclose how many jobs the China closure affects. It said it would treat employees with respect and work constructively with local stakeholders.

Steve Maggard, Cone Denim's president, called closing the China facility "a difficult but necessary decision" and said the commitment to customers is unchanged. Jeffrey P. Pritchett, CEO of Elevate Textiles, the parent company, said the move sharpens Cone's focus on the markets, capabilities and manufacturing platforms where it can compete.

A Long North Carolina Story

Cone describes itself as a denim innovator with more than 135 years of history. Its portfolio includes performance, stretch, selvage and Distilled Indigo denims, vintage recreations of Cone Deeptone denim from the early 1900s, and sustainable fabrics. Its roots in Greensboro run through the White Oak mill, once billed in promotional material as the largest denim mill in the world.

The announcement follows other changes at Elevate Textiles: in August the company said it would close a finishing plant in Burlington by year-end.

Sources: Cone Denim; Specialty Fabrics Review.