2026 Carolina Mill TourMarch 23 - 26, 2026
Over four days, this group of brands and retailers — spanning athletic, lifestyle, and emerging companies — got a true, on-the-ground look at U.S. textile manufacturing. This year’s group brought a strong mix of perspectives from across the industry, including Workwear Outfitters, ILNA, Inc., Dillard's, On AG, REI Co-op, Carhartt, Inc., and Johnnie-O — exactly the kind of group that makes the conversations real and valuable. From fiber through finished product, the tour brought the Western Hemisphere supply chain to life in a way you just can’t replicate from a presentation or factory profile. Hosts and Sponsors included:
New this year, we introduced a new orientation session — “Standards to Success: The Specifiers’ Edge”, sponsored by AATCC — helping set the foundation for what participants would see throughout the week. We also launched AAPN’s Certificate in Foundations of Textile Manufacturing, giving attendees structured, real-world manufacturing literacy alongside the mill visits — helping them better understand and engage across the supply chain. Read more about it here! But as always, what makes this tour special is the people. This year’s group showed up ready — asking great questions, building relationships, and leaning into the experience from day one. You could feel the connections forming in real time, from the mill floors to the bus rides to dinners in Charlotte. Thank you to our hosts for opening your facilities, sharing your teams, and investing in this group. Your partnership is what makes this program work. And to everyone who joined us — you’re exactly why we do this. You can view the full photo album here If this week reinforced anything, it’s this: our industry needs both seasoned experts and curious emerging talent to succeed — and this group showed exactly what that looks like in action. For more details on the event, click here --> 2026 Carolina Mill Tour Registration Page |
