NAICS 313210 Quarterly Industry Report
Broadwoven Fabric Mills
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 313210Sector: 31Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
This Fair Market Value industry report for NAICS 313210 provides business owners, acquirers, and financial advisors with data-driven valuation insights for the broadwoven fabric manufacturing sector, drawing on data from the U.S. Census Bureau[4] and SBA lending records. Additional data is drawn from Bureau of Labor Statistics[8].. The report aggregates transaction multiples, financial benchmarks, and market trends specific to NAICS 313210 establishments, supporting buy-sell agreements, succession planning, SBA-financed acquisitions, and litigation support engagements.
Industry Definition & Overview
Broadwoven Fabric Mills (NAICS 313210) encompasses establishments primarily engaged in weaving broadwoven fabrics and felts, excluding tire fabrics and rugs. These mills produce fabrics wider than 12 inches from cotton, wool, silk, synthetic, and blended fibers for use in apparel, home furnishings, industrial applications, and technical textiles. According to the U.S. Census Bureau[4], domestic broadwoven fabric production supports a multi-billion dollar supply chain serving both domestic manufacturers and international export markets.
The industry has undergone dramatic restructuring as global textile trade liberalization shifted commodity fabric production to lower-cost countries. Remaining domestic mills compete through specialization in technical fabrics, rapid prototyping capabilities, and integration with downstream finishing operations. The SBA Office of Advocacy[5] notes that small and mid-size broadwoven mills maintain viability by serving defense contracts, producing flame-resistant industrial fabrics, and manufacturing premium denim and specialty cotton textiles that command higher margins than commodity sheeting or shirting fabrics.
Regulatory requirements include OSHA[6] workplace safety standards covering loom noise exposure, cotton dust limits, and machine guarding for weaving equipment. Environmental compliance under EPA[7] oversight addresses wastewater from sizing and finishing chemicals, air emissions from fiber processing, and solid waste management. Product safety standards administered by the Consumer Product Safety Commission apply to fabrics used in children's apparel, sleepwear, and upholstered furniture.
What's Included in This Industry
- Valuation multiples benchmarked to broadwoven fabric manufacturers
- Revenue and EBITDA trends for domestic weaving operations
- SBA lending data and financing terms for NAICS 313210
- Comparable transaction data from recent textile mill M&A activity
- Industry risk factors including import competition and cotton price volatility
- Workforce composition and labor cost benchmarks for weaving operations
- Regional market analysis across traditional textile-producing states
- Customer channel analysis covering apparel, home textile, and industrial buyers
- Growth projections tied to technical textile and reshoring trends
- Owner compensation and discretionary earnings benchmarks
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Subsector | Textile Mills | 313 |
| Industry Group | Fabric Mills | 3132 |
| NAICS Industry | Broadwoven Fabric Mills | 31321 |
| National Industry | Broadwoven Fabric Mills | 313210 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 313110 | Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills | Fiber, yarn, and thread mills supplying the primary raw material inputs that broadwoven fabric mills weave into finished textile products |
| 313220 | Narrow Fabric Mills and Schiffli Machine Embroidery | Narrow fabric mills using similar weaving technology for specialty ribbon, tape, and webbing products that serve overlapping industrial markets |
| 313310 | Textile and Fabric Finishing Mills | Textile finishing mills processing greige broadwoven fabrics through dyeing, printing, and chemical treatments to create finished goods |
| 313240 | Knit Fabric Mills | Knit fabric mills producing alternative fabric constructions that compete with broadwoven textiles in certain apparel and home textile categories |
| 313230 | Nonwoven Fabric Mills | Nonwoven fabric mills manufacturing fabrics through bonding processes that compete with woven products in disposable and industrial applications |
| 314120 | Curtain and Linen Mills | Curtain and linen mills purchasing broadwoven fabrics as primary inputs for home textile manufacturing including bedding and window treatments |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | 13.9% | 34 |
| 2 | California | 11.5% | 28 |
| 3 | South Carolina | 11.1% | 27 |
| 4 | Georgia | 7.8% | 19 |
| 5 | Texas | 6.2% | 15 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 4.9% | 12 |
| 7 | New York | 4.9% | 12 |
| 8 | Maine | 3.3% | 8 |
| 9 | Ohio | 3.3% | 8 |
| 10 | Virginia | 2.9% | 7 |
% Of Establishments
0%
14%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[3]
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What is the typical valuation multiple for a broadwoven fabric mill?
Broadwoven fabric mills typically trade at 3x to 6x EBITDA, with mills producing technical or specialty fabrics for defense, aerospace, or medical applications commanding premium multiples. Commodity fabric producers exposed to direct import competition generally trade at the lower end. Per U.S. Census Bureau[4] data, the industry's consolidation has concentrated value in mills with differentiated product capabilities and modern equipment.
What SBA loan options are available for acquiring a broadwoven fabric mill?
The SBA 7(a) loan program[10] provides up to $5 million for acquisitions and working capital, while the CDC/504 program[11] finances major equipment purchases and facility improvements. Lenders carefully assess loom condition and modernization needs because weaving equipment replacement represents substantial capital expenditure.
What are the main revenue drivers for broadwoven fabric mills?
Revenue depends on fabric type mix, customer diversification across apparel, home textile, and industrial markets, and the ability to serve time-sensitive orders that overseas competitors cannot fulfill. Mills with vertically integrated finishing capabilities capture additional margin by delivering finished rather than greige fabrics to customers.
What regulatory requirements affect NAICS 313210 businesses?
Mills must comply with OSHA[6] standards for textile manufacturing including cotton dust exposure limits, loom noise controls, and machine guarding requirements. Per EPA[7] regulations, facilities with sizing, finishing, or dyeing operations must maintain wastewater treatment systems and air emission permits. Consumer product safety standards apply to fabrics intended for children's apparel and upholstered furniture.
How has import competition reshaped the broadwoven fabric industry?
Global trade liberalization shifted commodity fabric production to lower-cost countries, reducing domestic establishment counts by more than 70% over three decades. Remaining U.S. mills compete on technical capability, delivery speed, small-run flexibility, and proximity to domestic cut-and-sew operations. Per SBA[12] data, surviving mills increasingly serve defense, industrial, and performance apparel markets where domestic sourcing offers strategic advantages.
What equipment is needed for a broadwoven fabric mill?
Core equipment includes air-jet, rapier, or projectile looms, warping machines, sizing equipment, inspection frames, and fabric rolling systems. Modern high-speed looms cost $100,000 to $500,000 each, and a mid-size mill typically operates 50-200 looms. Per Bureau of Labor Statistics[13] data, capital expenditure per worker in textile weaving operations is among the highest in the broader textile manufacturing sector.
What workforce challenges do broadwoven fabric mills face?
Key challenges include recruiting skilled loom technicians and fixers, training operators for increasingly computerized weaving equipment, and managing multi-shift production schedules. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics[13], textile manufacturing employment has contracted steadily, reducing the available pool of workers with loom maintenance and weaving expertise.
What growth opportunities exist for domestic broadwoven mills?
Growth opportunities include technical textiles for military uniforms and protective equipment, flame-resistant industrial fabrics, performance textiles for outdoor and athletic markets, and sustainable fabrics meeting growing demand for recycled and organic content. The U.S. Census Bureau[4] tracks increasing domestic output values in specialty textile categories despite ongoing commodity fabric volume losses to imports.
Sources & References
Government datasets and editorial sources used in this report.
- [1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages bls.gov
- [2]U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census census.gov
- [3]U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns census.gov
- [4]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [5]SBA Office of Advocacy advocacy.sba.gov
- [6]OSHA osha.gov
- [7]EPA epa.gov
- [8]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [9]SBA size standards sba.gov
- [10]SBA 7(a) loan program sba.gov
- [11]CDC/504 loan program sba.gov
- [12]SBA sba.gov
- [13]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
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