Darlington Fabrics
Darlington Fabrics is an ISO-certified, US-based manufacturer of made-to-order warp knit fabrics (Active, Intimates, Medical, and Specialty) serving apparel, medical device, and industrial customers through direct B2B sales and custom finishing services since 1941.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1890
- HeadquartersWesterly, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Darlington Fabrics does
Darlington Fabrics Corporation is a US-based, ISO-certified manufacturer of made-to-order warp knit fabrics, tracing its corporate lineage to the late 1800s (The National Whalebone Company) and operating under the Darlington name since a 1941 merger with Mazuy Mills. The company has been a subsidiary of the Moore Company Textile Group since 1972 and runs a vertically integrated mill in Westerly, Rhode Island, producing Tricots, Raschels, Satins, Powernets, Meshes, and Novelties constructions in widths from 45" to 120". Its product portfolio spans four core categories — Active (performance apparel), Intimates (bras/panties/shapewear), Medical (ISO 13485-certified textiles for respiratory headgear, compression garments, orthotic/prosthetic supports, wound care, and UBL fabrics), and Specialty (vehicle covers, custom printing, hospitality, PPE) — plus a Custom Solutions service line for mechanical and performance finishing (napping, sueding, moisture wicking, cooling, antimicrobial, DWR, soil release) and partnership-based coating, lamination, and slitting.
The business is a B2B-only operation with no retail or stock program; products are quote-priced with minimum order quantities of 1,000–2,000 yards per color and distributed globally through international shipping. Go-to-market relies on a small direct sales team of five named representatives (Directors of Sales for Medical/Industrial and Apparel, plus Account Managers and a Sales Specialist) and trade show presence such as MD&M West (February 2026). Customer segments are diversified across four verticals with no publicly named end customers. Operational differentiators include ISO 9001, ISO 13485, and NATIFIC dye house certifications, CAFTA/USMCA trade compliance, a sustainability program anchored by a Zero Landfill initiative and 97% water reuse in air filtration, and the "Proudly Manufactured in the USA" positioning that targets brands seeking US-sourced technical fabrics.
Darlington Fabrics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Darlington Fabrics
- Legal name
- Darlington Fabrics Corporation
- Website
- https://darlingtonfabrics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1890
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Darlington Fabrics is an ISO-certified, US-based manufacturer of made-to-order warp knit fabrics (Active, Intimates, Medical, and Specialty) serving apparel, medical device, and industrial customers through direct B2B sales and custom finishing services since 1941.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Darlington Fabrics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Technical Textiles
- NAICS
- Knit Fabric Mills (31324), Apparel Knitting Mills (3151)
- SIC
- Knitting Mills (2250)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Knitted Fabric Mills (IMAOABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Technical Fabric Mills (Performance/Protective/Medical Substrates) (IMAOABAH), Protective & Safety Textiles (FR/Arc/Heat/Cut/Chemical) (IMAOADAA)
Keywords
Where Darlington Fabrics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Westerly
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Darlington Fabrics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Custom Warp Knit Fabric Sales: B2B manufacturing of made-to-order warp knit fabrics sold directly to apparel, medical, and industrial customers. Fabrics are custom-manufactured per customer specifications with minimum order quantities of 1,000-2,000 yards per color. No stock program; occasional excess inventory available.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Order Pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Darlington Fabrics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Darlington Fabrics is an ISO-certified US manufacturer of made-to-order warp knit fabrics, producing Tricots, Raschels, Satins, Powernets, Meshes, and Novelties constructions in widths from 45" to 120". The company sells custom fabric solutions across four primary categories—Active, Intimates, Medical, and Specialty—directly to apparel brands, medical device manufacturers, and industrial buyers, with vertical integration from yarn to finished fabric.
Product overview
Darlington Fabrics is an ISO-certified manufacturer of made-to-order warp knit fabrics operating as part of the Moore Company Textile Group since 1972. The company offers a portfolio of four core performance fabric categories (Active, Intimates, Medical, and Specialty) complemented by Custom Solutions services. Fabrics are produced in widths from 45" to 120" using Tricots, Raschels, Satins, Powernets, Meshes, and Novelties constructions. Custom Solutions adds in-house mechanical and performance finishing capabilities alongside strategic partnership services for surface design, coating, lamination, and slitting. All products are proudly manufactured in the USA with sustainability practices focused on energy reduction, water conservation, recycled yarns, and zero landfill goals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Active: Performance fabrics for activewear including team sports, yoga, comfort wear, cycling, fitness, running, swim, tennis, golf, and outerwear.
- Intimates
- Medical
- Specialty
Products and services
- Active Fabrics
Quantifiable outcome
- Consistent color and physical specifications lot to lot, year after year
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Darlington Fabrics
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Darlington Fabrics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Darlington Fabrics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Darlington Fabrics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Milliken & Company: Large diversified US textile manufacturer with specialty performance fabrics across apparel, industrial, and technical markets. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities in performance-finished textile manufacturing and branded fabric portfolios.
- Porcher Industries: Global technical textiles manufacturer producing warp knit fabrics and reinforcements for aerospace, automotive, defense, and industrial markets. Comparable as a larger, more diversified specialty textile player operating in adjacent technical-warp-knit end uses.
- Toray Industries: Global Japanese textile and materials conglomerate producing performance, technical, and medical textiles. Comparable as a broad international incumbent serving overlapping activewear and specialty technical fabric markets.
- Glen Raven: Major US specialty textile manufacturer known for performance fabrics including the Sunbrella brand, serving casual furniture, marine, and awning markets. Comparable as a vertically integrated specialty textile incumbent with similar made-in-USA positioning and finishing capabilities.
- Invista: Large integrated producer of fibers and polymers including the LYCRA brand, with significant involvement in performance apparel fabrics. Comparable as an upstream/downstream incumbent in the performance and stretch fabric value chain relevant to activewear and intimates.
Direct peers
- Gehring-Tricot Corporation: Specialist warp knit fabric manufacturer with a long operating history producing tricots, powernets, meshes, and satins for apparel, intimate apparel, and industrial applications — overlapping directly with Darlington's core warp knit product portfolio.
- Bemis Associates: Manufacturer of specialty bonding, welding, and coating technologies for technical fabrics used in apparel, footwear, and industrial applications. Comparable as a specialty B2B textile/material supplier focused on engineered fabric solutions for performance end uses.
- Apex Mills: US-based manufacturer of warp and circular knit fabrics serving apparel, industrial, military, and technical end-markets. Directly comparable as a niche knit fabric mill with custom manufacturing capabilities similar to Darlington's specialty focus.
- Vanguard Mills: US manufacturer of circular and warp knit fabrics for apparel and specialty industrial applications. Comparable as a domestic knit fabric mill with custom manufacturing capabilities serving similar B2B apparel and specialty end uses.
Regional players
- Carvico: Italian warp knit fabric specialist producing high-performance textiles for swimwear, activewear, and intimate apparel. Comparable in warp knit manufacturing capability and activewear/intimates end markets, but primarily serves European customers and therefore does not directly compete in Darlington's core US territory.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Darlington Fabrics social profiles
Digital presenceDarlington Fabrics compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Darlington Fabrics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Darlington Fabrics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Darlington Fabrics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Darlington Fabrics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Darlington Fabrics
What does Darlington Fabrics do?
Darlington Fabrics is an ISO-certified US manufacturer of made-to-order warp knit fabrics, producing Tricots, Raschels, Satins, Powernets, Meshes, and Novelties constructions in widths from 45" to 120". The company sells custom fabric solutions across four primary categories—Active, Intimates, Medical, and Specialty—directly to apparel brands, medical device manufacturers, and industrial buyers, with vertical integration from yarn to finished fabric.
Is Darlington Fabrics a public or private company?
Darlington Fabrics is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Darlington Fabrics founded?
Darlington Fabrics was founded in 1890. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Darlington Fabrics based?
Darlington Fabrics is headquartered in Westerly, United States, in the North America region.
How does Darlington Fabrics make money?
One revenue line is on record: custom Warp Knit Fabric Sales.
Who are Darlington Fabrics's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Milliken & Company, Porcher Industries, Toray Industries, Glen Raven and Invista. Direct peers are Gehring-Tricot Corporation, Bemis Associates, Apex Mills and Vanguard Mills. Carvico is listed as a regional player.
Does Darlington Fabrics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Darlington Fabrics.
What industry is Darlington Fabrics in?
Darlington Fabrics's product category is Technical Textiles. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAOABAB, Knitted Fabric Mills, with a secondary code of IMAOABAH, Technical Fabric Mills (Performance/Protective/Medical Substrates). Its NAICS code is 31324 and its SIC code is 2250.