What Coville does

Coville, Inc. is a family-owned textile and apparel manufacturer founded in 1976 and headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The company operates a vertically integrated model spanning knit fabric production, finishing, cut-and-sew apparel manufacturing, and full-package assembly, executed across three North Carolina facilities (Winston-Salem, Troy via sister company Alandale Knitting, and Wadesboro via sister company Carolina Apparel). All production is 100% U.S.-made, enabling Berry Amendment compliance for military supply.

The product portfolio centers on circular-knit fabric constructions across single knit (Jersey, Piquet, Fleece, Terry, Mesh, Mini-Jacquard) and double knit (Interlock, Rib, Piquets) families, using a broad fiber range spanning Modacrylic, FR Rayon, Cotton, Polyester, Nylon, Spandex, Nomex, Kevlar, PBI, Silver, Hemp, Wool, and others. Core differentiated IP is U.S. Patent No. 12,624,481 (issued May 12, 2026) covering a proprietary Flame-Resistant Elastic Plaited Fabric (CV3499, CV3499N, CV3700) delivering CAT 2 arc protection at the lightest weight on market with 4-way stretch and inherent FR. Supporting certifications include NFPA 70E, NFPA 2112, ASTM F1506, ANSI/ISEA 107, OEKO-TEX 100, and UPF 50+.

The business model is B2B direct sales to enterprise customers across five primary verticals: Military & Defense (all six U.S. Armed Forces branches), Protective & Industrial (Carhartt, DragonWear True North, Helly Hansen), Activewear & Performance (Jockey, Gildan), Private Label (Alexander Julian and others), and Industrial Technical Markets (Oil & Gas, Utilities, First Responders, Medical, Automotive). Revenue is generated through one-time purchase orders for manufactured fabrics and apparel, quote-based pricing with no public price list, and potentially patent licensing. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales via the Winston-Salem headquarters and a website contact form, emphasizing long-term partnership relationships and collaborative product development.

Name

Coville

Legal name

Coville, Inc.

Website

https://covilleinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Coville is a 100% USA-made, family-owned textile and apparel manufacturer founded in 1976, producing knit fabrics and finished garments for the U.S. military, protective apparel brands, activewear companies, and private-label customers via three vertically integrated North Carolina facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Knit Fabric Manufacturing

NAICS

Knit Fabric Mills (31324), Apparel Knitting Mills (3151), Apparel Knitting Mills (31512)

SIC

Knitting Mills (2250), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Men's & Boys' Furnishgs, Work Clothg, & Allied Garments (2320)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Protective & Safety Textiles (FR/Arc/Heat/Cut/Chemical) (IMAOADAA), Knitted Fabric Mills (IMAOABAB)

Keywords

• Knit fabric manufacturing
• Flame resistant fabrics
• Protective apparel manufacturing
• Military textiles
• Apparel contract manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Winston Salem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Knit Fabric Manufacturing: Coville manufactures and sells knit fabrics including greige fabric, finished fabric, and commission knitting services. Revenue is generated through direct sales of manufactured textiles to industrial, protective, and performance apparel customers.
2. Apparel Manufacturing: Full-package garment production including CMT (Cut-Make-Trim) services, full package programs, commission cutting, and embellishing services. Revenue generated from sewn products manufacturing for commercial brands and private label customers.
3. Patent Licensing: Coville holds U.S. Patent No. 12,624,481 for Flame-Resistant Elastic Plaited Fabric. The company may generate licensing revenue from this proprietary technology.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Coville manufactures knit fabrics and finished apparel for industrial, protective, military, and performance markets through vertically integrated U.S. operations spanning circular knitting, fabric finishing, and full-package garment production. Its portfolio includes patented flame-resistant elastic plaited fabrics (CV3499, CV3499N, CV3700) delivering CAT 2 arc flash protection, conventional knit fabrics in single and double knit constructions, and finished protective, activewear, military, and private-label apparel.

Product overview

Coville is a family-owned textile and apparel manufacturing company established in 1976, offering a vertically integrated portfolio of knit fabrics and finished apparel products manufactured entirely in the USA. The core product portfolio centers on patented Flame-Resistant Elastic Plaited Fabrics (CV3499, CV3499N, CV3700) with CAT 2 arc flash protection, along with protective wear (FR/AR garments meeting NFPA 2112, NFPA 70E, ASTM F1506, ANSI/ISEA 107), activewear and performance fabrics, military/defense apparel (Berry Amendment compliant), and fashion/private label apparel. These products are supported by manufacturing services including knit fabric production (single and double knit constructions), apparel manufacturing (CMT and full package), product development and prototyping, supply chain management, and commission knitting. The company operates sister facilities (Alandale Knitting, Carolina Apparel) for vertically integrated manufacturing from fiber to finished product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Flame-Resistant Elastic Plaited Fabric (CV3499) Patented flame-resistant elastic plaited fabric with CAT 2 protection, 4-way stretch, inherent FR, moisture management, and UPF 50+ sun protection for protective apparel manufacturers and industrial safety buyers.
• Flame-Resistant Elastic Plaited Fabric (CV3499N) Patented flame-resistant elastic plaited fabric in alternate colorway with CAT 2 protection, inherent FR, and moisture management for protective apparel applications.
• Flame-Resistant Elastic Plaited Fabric (CV3700) Patented flame-resistant elastic plaited fabric with higher CAT 2 arc rating, NFPA 2112 certification, and validated 14.2% predicted body burn performance for high-risk industrial protective apparel applications.
• Knit Fabrics State-of-the-art weft knit fabrics in single knit (Jersey, Piquet, Fleece 2-End, Fleece 3-End, Terry, Mesh, Mini-Jacquard) and double knit (Interlock, Rib, Piquets) constructions for apparel, protective wear, activewear, and industrial textile buyers.
• Protective Wear Flame-resistant (FR) and arc-rated (AR) garments including CAT 2 and ARC 8 rated products meeting NFPA 2112, NFPA 70E, ASTM F1506, and ANSI/ISEA 107 standards for industrial safety applications including oil and gas, utilities, and first responders.
• Activewear & Performance Fabrics High-performance activewear, sportswear, underwear, and performance fabrics with moisture wicking, compression wear, anti-microbial, and athleisure properties for athletic apparel brands.
• Military & Defense Apparel Berry Amendment compliant knit fabrics and apparel for U.S. Armed Forces including base layers, flame resistant apparel, and Berry compliant USA Made products.
• Apparel Manufacturing Full-package garment production with precision cutting, sewing, and embellishing including CMT (Cut-Make-Trim), full package programs, commission cutting, and embellishing services for commercial brands and private label customers.
• Product Development & Prototyping Expert fabric analysis and prototyping services including material sourcing, prototype creation, performance testing, and cost engineering to optimize performance and manufacturability for customer-specific textile applications.
• Supply Chain Management Fully vertical supply chain management from fiber to finished product with inventory management, material traceability, and detailed tracking from global sourcing to final distribution.
• Commission Knitting Contract production for specialty, overflow, and small-run knitting needs using state-of-the-art circular knitting capabilities for textile buyers requiring flexible capacity.
• Private Label Apparel Complete private label solutions for fashion and lifestyle brands covering fashion apparel, basics, loungewear, and custom apparel programs from concept to finished product.
• Greige Fabric Unfinished fabric straight from the knitting process, available as greige goods for further processing by textile converters and manufacturers.
• Finished Fabric Fully processed and finished fabrics ready for garment production, including dyed and treated materials for apparel manufacturers.
• Fiber & Materials Portfolio Comprehensive range of fibers and materials including Cotton, Polyester, Wool, Rayon, Modal, Spandex, Viscose, Modacrylic, Nomex, Kevlar, PBI, Silver, Hemp, and custom blends for diverse performance requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14.2% Predicted Body Burn (NCSU PyroMan Test) for CV3700 fabric
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alandale Knitting CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company located in Troy, NC. State-of-the-art circular knitting facility producing premium knit fabrics. Part of the vertically integrated Coville family of companies.
• Carolina Apparel GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company located in Wadesboro, NC. Expert apparel manufacturing and finishing services. Part of the vertically integrated Coville family of companies.
• Yarn Spinning and Dyeing/Finishing Facilities NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of trusted yarn spinning and dyeing and finishing facilities throughout the East Coast. Long-standing relationships that expand Coville's technical range while preserving domestic supply chain reliability.
• NC State Wilson College of TextilesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for textile research, development, and testing. Includes testing partnerships such as NCSU PyroMan testing for fabric performance validation.
• Gaston College Textile Technology CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for textile technology research, development, and workforce training in the North Carolina textile industry.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Westex (by Milliken): Westex, a Milliken company, is a leading U.S. manufacturer of flame-resistant and arc-rated (FR/AR) fabrics used in protective workwear. Directly comparable to Coville's patented CV3499/CV3700 line as a competing domestic supplier of certified FR knit and woven substrates.
• TenCate Protective Fabrics: TenCate (now part of Milliken) produces technical FR and protective fabrics for military, fire service, and industrial markets. Overlaps with Coville's Berry-compliant, NFPA/ASTM-certified knit fabric portfolio serving the same military and protective apparel customers.
• Glen Raven: Glen Raven is a U.S. textile manufacturer (including the former Dickson textiles) producing performance and technical fabrics for military, protective, and industrial applications. Comparable to Coville as a vertically integrated domestic technical-textile mill with similar military/industrial end markets.
• Beverly Knits: Beverly Knits is a U.S.-based circular knitter producing a wide range of knit fabrics for apparel, military, medical, and industrial applications. Direct comparable to Coville's Alandale Knitting operation in product mix (single and double knits) and customer overlap (military, protective, activewear).
• Hendrick Textiles: Hendrick Textiles is a U.S. manufacturer of industrial and protective knit fabrics, including FR substrates, supplying military, oil & gas, and utility markets. Direct comparable to Coville in fiber portfolio, certifications, and end-market focus.
• Bulwark Protection: Bulwark (a VF Corporation brand) is one of the leading U.S. FR workwear apparel brands, sourcing certified FR fabrics for end-use garments. A downstream customer/competitor comparable to Coville's protective-wear products in the same NFPA/ASTM-certified FR apparel category.

Regional players

• Carolina Knitting Mills: Carolina Knitting Mills is a U.S. circular knitter based in the Carolinas producing knit fabrics for apparel, industrial, and military markets. Comparable to Coville on geography, knitting technology, and end markets, though smaller in scale.

Broad incumbents

• Milliken & Company: Milliken is a large U.S. diversified textile and specialty chemicals manufacturer with a major protective-fabrics franchise (Westex, TenCate). Competes with Coville across FR fabrics, performance knits, and military textiles as a much larger incumbent.
• DuPont (Nomex/Kevlar): DuPont supplies the Nomex and Kevlar meta-aramid fibers that are the dominant raw-material inputs in FR protective fabrics, including the ones Coville works with. Comparable as a major incumbent in the FR/technical textile value chain, though upstream of Coville's knitting operation.
• Polartec (Milliken): Polartec, now a Milliken brand, is a leading U.S. producer of performance knit fabrics (fleece, technical knits) for activewear, military, and outdoor markets. Comparable to Coville on circular knitting technology, performance-fiber expertise, and activewear/military customer overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Coville