Kentwool Inc. and American Woolen Company have adopted a vertically-integrated business model that controls the entire production process from yarn spinning to finished product. This has helped the companies to successfully collaborate with premium apparel brands focused on wool, a natural fiber known for its thermal comfort, breathability and ability to be worn across seasons.
Established in 1843 in Pennsylvania, Kentwool owns a 135,000-sq. ft. state-of-the-art wool-based yarn spinning facility in nearby Pickens, which houses approximately 20,000 spindles and produces yarn from 100-percent wool or wool/man-made blends.
American Woolen Company grew to become the world’s largest wool manufacturer in the early 20th century. But the company diminished and become primarily an importer and wholesaler of woolen blankets. Long purchased the brand in 2013, and later had the opportunity to invest in a manufacturing location in the form of historic Stafford Springs, Conn.-based Warren Mill – a cashmere and camel hair woolen fabrics plant with more than 150 years of history.
