Elevate Textiles

What Elevate Textiles does

Elevate Textiles is a private, Charlotte, North Carolina-headquartered holding company and Platinum Equity portfolio company that manufactures and sells premium industrial fabrics, technical textiles, and sewing threads through five heritage brands: American & Efird (A&E) and A&E Gütermann for premium sewing thread and embroidery (275+ years of heritage), Burlington for high-performance apparel, uniform, military, medical, and technical fabrics (~95 years), Cone Denim for denim innovation (125+ years, majority stake divested to Artistic Milliners in September 2025), and Safety Components for protective textiles serving first responders, military, and industrial markets (100+ years). The company operates 35+ manufacturing facilities across six continents, employs 15,000+ people, and serves 25,000 customers in more than 100 countries, with deep U.S. government exposure including a multi-million-yard Army Green Service Uniform fabric program with the U.S. Army and DLA.

Revenue is generated through B2B enterprise sales of physical textile products — fabrics and thread sold by the yard or spool — priced via negotiated contracts based on volume, specifications, and long-term customer relationships; there is no public pricing and no recurring software-style revenue stream. Go-to-market is direct, executed by brand-specific sales teams (each portfolio brand maintains its own customer relationships and sales coverage, augmented by sales offices in New York, San Francisco, and Hong Kong). The innovation engine is anchored by Burlington Labs (15+ R&D labs) and Cone 3D (denim innovation incubator), producing a portfolio of branded proprietary technologies including S GENE stretch denim, PF Zero non-fluorinated DWR, XALT invisible seam, No Fly Zone permethrin insect repellent, Filament Twill Technology, Distilled Indigo, and Ionic+ antimicrobial.

The company has positioned sustainability as a procurement-gated differentiator: SBTi-validated near-term (46.2% absolute Scope 1/2/3 reduction by 2030) and net-zero targets, 100% ZDHC MRSL compliance, bluesign and OEKO-TEX certifications, Higg Index adoption since 2014, Oritain forensic cotton-origin verification, UN Global Compact and CEO Water Mandate participation, and operational infrastructure including three Zero Liquid Discharge facilities and cogeneration at the Cone Denim Parras Mexico plant. The September 2025 divestiture of majority control in Cone Denim to Artistic Milliners, combined with a 2023 comprehensive recapitalization under Platinum Equity and three CEO transitions since 2019, indicates an active portfolio-rationalization phase rather than a growth-investment phase.

Name

Elevate Textiles

Legal name

Elevate Textiles, Inc.

Website

https://elevatetextiles.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Elevate Textiles is a Charlotte-based Platinum Equity portfolio company operating five heritage textile brands (A&E, Burlington, Cone Denim partially divested, Gütermann, Safety Components) across 35+ facilities and 15,000+ employees, selling premium fabrics, threads, and protective textiles to fashion, military, medical, and industrial customers in 100+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Textiles & Sewing Thread

NAICS

Knit Fabric Mills (313240), Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills (313110), Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills (3133)

SIC

Broadwoven Fabric Mills, Man Made Fiber & Silk (2221), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Knitting Mills (2250)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Fabric Mills (Performance/Protective/Medical Substrates) (IMAOABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Textiles, Fabrics, Trims & Components Suppliers (CRAAAAAL), Protective & Safety Textiles (FR/Arc/Heat/Cut/Chemical) (IMAOADAA), Industrial & Technical Yarn Manufacturing (High-Tenacity/Aramid/Carbon/Glass) (IMAOAAAG)

Keywords

• Industrial sewing thread
• Denim fabric manufacturing
• Performance textiles
• Protective fabrics
• Technical textile solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlotte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fabric and textile product sales: Elevate Textiles generates revenue through the sale of fabrics (denim, performance fabrics, military fabrics, medical textiles) and thread products to fashion brands, apparel manufacturers, government/military, and industrial customers worldwide. Products are sold directly to enterprise customers through brand-specific sales teams.
2. Cone Denim majority stake acquired by Artistic Milliners: Artistic Milliners acquired a majority stake in Cone Denim from Elevate Textiles in September 2025, creating a new multinational entity operating under the Cone Denim name

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Elevate Textiles is a global manufacturer and distributor of industrial and consumer sewing thread, denim fabrics, performance apparel fabrics, and technical/protective textiles. The company operates through five heritage brands — American & Efird (A&E), Burlington, Cone Denim, A&E Gütermann, and Safety Components — selling directly to apparel manufacturers, fashion brands, military and government agencies, medical/PPE producers, automotive suppliers, and industrial customers across 100+ countries.

Product overview

Elevate Textiles is a global provider of advanced, high-quality textile solutions operating as a portfolio company of five distinct brands: American & Efird (A&E) for premium sewing thread and embroidery, Burlington for high-performance fabrics, Cone Denim for denim innovation, A&E Gütermann for thread products, and Safety Components for high-performance protective textiles. The portfolio serves diverse industries including fashion, military, fire protection, medical, athletic, automotive, aerospace, and outdoor sectors. Innovation is driven through dedicated R&D incubators including Burlington Labs (15+ labs for next-generation textiles) and Cone 3D (denim innovation center). Key technology platforms include S GENE stretch denim, XALT invisible seam technology, PF Zero sustainable water repellency, No Fly Zone insect protection, and Filament Twill Technology for firefighter gear. The company operates 35 facilities across six continents with 15,000+ employees serving 25,000 customers in over 100 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Burlington Labs: World leader in research and development of next-generation textile products with more than 15 labs using innovative fibers, chemicals and processes
• Cone 3D
• XALT Garment System
• No Fly Zone
• S GENE
• REPEL

Products and services

• American & Efird (A&E) Sewing Thread & Embroidery World's foremost manufacturer and distributor of premium quality industrial and consumer sewing thread, embroidery thread, and technical textiles serving apparel, automotive, home furnishings, medical, and industrial product manufacturers.
• Burlington Performance & Lifestyle Fabrics High-style, high-performance fabric solutions for casual, lifestyle, and active apparel, as well as tailored, uniform, military, medical/cleanroom, contract, and technical products.
• Cone Denim Denim Fabrics Worldwide leader in denim innovation with 125+ years of expertise, producing premium stretch, vintage selvage, and sustainable denims in Mexico and China for apparel brands globally.
• A&E Gütermann Industrial Thread Premier thread manufacturer with 275+ years of heritage serving industrial and commercial sectors with quality thread products.
• Safety Components Protective & Technical Fabrics Global market leader in technology-driven fabric solutions and high-performance textiles for first responders, military, outdoor, marine, and automotive use, manufactured in Greenville, SC.
• Sustainblue Sustainable Denim Collection Cone Denim's sustainable denim fabric collection meeting the highest standards in responsible manufacturing for environmentally conscious apparel brands.
• The Very Best of Times Heritage Denim Collection Heritage-inspired sustainable denim collection from Cone Denim featuring natural indigo, organic cotton, recycled cotton, hemp, and sustainable natural dyes; collaboration with Miles Johnson and Tonello.
• Micromove Stretch Fabric Collection Burlington's sustainable, comfortable, and versatile stretch fabric collection with two and four-way stretch for maximum range of motion.
• Restora Eco-Conscious Fabric Collection Burlington's eco-conscious fabric collection made from innovative recycled content including Eco Circle, Seaqual, and REPREVE partners.
• Firefighter Turnout Gear & FR Fabrics Safety Components' technology-driven fabric solutions for first responders, featuring proprietary technologies such as Filament Twill Technology, PBI Max, and Armor AP for turnout gear and FR outer shell fabrics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved 37.8% reduction in scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions
• +10 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

35 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Artistic MillinersmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2025Artistic Milliners acquired a majority stake in Cone Denim from Elevate Textiles, creating a new multinational entity operating under the Cone Denim name. The transaction includes Cone Denim's mills in Mexico and China alongside Artistic Milliners' facilities, leveraging collective infrastructure for global operations.
• Cascale (formerly Sustainable Apparel Coalition)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElevate participates in Cascale's Technical Advisory Council (TAC) providing structured guidance on sustainability measurement tools including the Higg Index, Better Buying, and Sustainable Furnishings tools. Council includes representatives from major brands, manufacturers, and sustainability organizations.
• PatagoniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPatagonia participates as a member of Cascale's Technical Advisory Council
• Columbia SportswearminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerColumbia Sportswear participates as a member of Cascale's Technical Advisory Council
• MAS HoldingsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMAS Holdings participates as a member of Cascale's Technical Advisory Council
• WWFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWWF participates as a member of Cascale's Technical Advisory Council
• LenzingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLenzing specializes in sustainable fibers and is a key partner for Elevate's sustainable textile solutions
• Stony Creek ColorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for sustainable plant-based natural indigo dyes. Stony Creek Colors is the leading U.S. manufacturer of bio-based dyes for textiles, with exclusive partnership with Cone Denim for Natural Indigo denims. Stony Creek holds USDA Certified Biopreferred designation for natural indigo.
• REPREVE (Unifi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerREPREVE recycled thread and yarn made from bottles, partnered with A&E for sustainable sewing thread products and Cone Denim for recycled content denim
• SeaqualcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeaqual provides recycled filament from sea debris for sustainable textile applications
• EcocirclecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcocircle provides recycled polyester fibers for sustainable textile solutions
• EarthspunminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarthspun provides recycled yarn for sustainable textile products
• ArchromacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCone Denim partnered with Archroma as early adopter of its ONE WAY sustainability service to evaluate and quantify environmental impact of manufacturing inputs, chemicals, processing techniques and raw materials
• CORDURA (INVISTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCORDURA brand partnered with Cone Denim for durable denim fabrics combining heritage and advanced fiber technology
• Westex by MillikencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCone Denim and Westex by Milliken extended their FR (flame resistant) denim partnership. Westex is the flame resistant textiles business of Milliken & Company
• TonellocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTonello provides garment finishing technologies for Cone Denim's sustainable collections, including heritage-inspired washes using no harmful chemicals, minimum water, and no stones
• Water.orgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCone Denim partners with Water.org, donating proceeds from Clean Water selvage denim collection to support efforts to end the global water crisis
• U.S. Cotton Trust ProtocolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCone Denim joined as one of the first denim partners, committing to verifiable sustainable cotton sourcing with full transparency from cotton to finished product
• OritaincoreTechnology or IntegrationOritain provides forensic science verification of cotton origin. Cone Denim became first denim mill globally to adopt highest level of end-to-end traceability using Oritain's technology to verify growth origin and detect restricted risk origins
• Textile ExchangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElevate Textiles established membership to partner with customers, suppliers, and industry stakeholders on development of preferred materials and reduction of adverse supply chain impacts
• ZDHC FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElevate Textiles expanded ZDHC contributorship across all portfolio brands (American & Efird joined in 2017). Focused on elimination of hazardous chemicals through sustainable chemical management. Jimmy Summers serves as Co-Lead in ZDHC Output Focus Area.
• Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElevate Textiles joined SAC with all brands to implement Higg suite of tools in supply chain. Elevate has been using Higg Index since 2014 including independently verified self-audits.
• EPA SmartWay Transport PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElevate joined EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership to reduce carbon emissions in freight transportation sector as part of 2025 sustainability commitments
• Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElevate's near-term and net-zero emissions targets validated by SBTi. Targets include 46.2% reduction in scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions by 2030 from 2019 baseline
• UN Global CompactcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElevate is signatory to UN Global Compact, upholding principles and supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals
• UN CEO Water MandatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElevate contributes to UN CEO Water Mandate as part of commitment to water stewardship and sustainability
• Better Cotton Initiative (BCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for sustainable cotton sourcing initiatives
• Organic Content Standard (OCS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertification partner for organic content verification
• Recycled Claim Standard (RCS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertification partner for recycled content verification
• Global Recycled Standard (GRS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertification partner for global recycled standards
• bluesigncoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerbluesign certification for sustainable textile manufacturing processes
• OEKO-TEXcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification for product safety and sustainable textiles
• ISO 14001coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISO 14001 environmental management system certification
• Ralph LaurencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBurlington partnered with Ralph Lauren to create isolation gowns for COVID-19 frontline workers during pandemic
• Tilley EndurablesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBurlington and Tilley partnered to supply isolation gowns for Canada's healthcare workers during pandemic

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Milliken & Company: U.S.-based diversified textile and specialty chemicals manufacturer with performance fabrics, FR textiles (Westex brand), and industrial materials. Closely comparable to Elevate in that it operates a multi-brand, technically differentiated textile portfolio with strong relationships in protective, automotive, and apparel end markets.
• Toray Industries: Japan-headquartered global textile and materials conglomerate producing fibers, fabrics, and performance textiles across apparel, industrial, and protective end uses. Comparable scale, multi-vertical textile portfolio, and similar concentration on innovation-led specialty segments.
• Klopman International: European leader in workwear and protective fabrics with manufacturing presence in Europe and Tunisia. Directly competes with Burlington and Safety Components in technical, uniform, and protective textile categories.
• Westex by Milliken: Milliken-owned FR textile business that has an extended Cone Denim partnership for FR denim, reflecting head-to-head competition with Safety Components in flame-resistant workwear fabrics and direct overlap in military/industrial protective fabric end markets.

Broad incumbents

• Teijin Limited: Japanese technology-driven group with aramid fibers (Twaron), composites, and protective textiles serving defense, automotive, and industrial markets. Overlaps with Elevate's Safety Components and Burlington technical/protective franchises in flame-resistant and high-performance fabrics.
• DuPont: Global specialty chemicals/materials major with Nomex (FR), Kevlar (ballistic), and Tyvek protection platforms serving defense, first responders, and industrial customers. Competes with Safety Components in protective textiles and with Burlington in technical barrier fabrics.
• Koch Industries (Invista): Owner of CORDURA, LYCRA, and other performance fiber brands and produces performance textiles/apparel fabrics globally. Partners with Elevate (CORDURA + Cone Denim durable denim) while also competing in performance fiber and durable fabric supply to apparel and military markets.
• Kuraray: Japanese specialty chemicals/fibers manufacturer with Vectran, Kuralon, and other performance fibers serving industrial, protective, and apparel-adjacent end markets. Comparable to Elevate's thread and technical/performance fabric franchises.
• Mitsui Chemicals: Japan-based chemicals/materials major producing fibers, films, and performance materials. Overlaps with Elevate in specialty industrial textiles and high-performance materials rather than finished apparel.
• Solvay: Belgian specialty chemicals/materials company producing high-performance polymers and fibers with applications in protective and technical textiles. Comparable to Elevate in upstream specialty materials feeding protective and industrial fabric platforms.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elevate-textiles

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Elevate Textiles