Cone Denim, Greensboro, N.C., reports investor Will Dellinger has signed an agreement to purchase the American Draper X3 selvage looms from Cone’s White Oak denim plant, which was shuttered at the end of 2017 after a 112-year-run. Dellinger plans to restart the looms and produce the iconic selvage denim in North Carolina. Some of the looms Cone will sell to Dellinger were original to the White Oak plant and date as far back as the 1940s. Other looms were reclaimed from other sources and restored for use at White Oak. One loom, however, will be donated to the Greensboro History Museum so it will be available to the public in support of the city’s denim heritage.
“The looms are an integral part of American textile history and I am excited by the possibilities of continuing their legacy,” Dellinger said. “North Carolina is rich in textile resources and expertise and I look forward to collaborating with others as we fully explore the potential of the looms and develop plans for their future start up.”
“It is exciting to see a path forward for these iconic looms that allows them to remain in North Carolina and continue the legacy of American denim,” said Cone Denim President Steve Maggard. “While we will not be involved in the operation of the looms going forward, we are pleased with the prospect of them finding a new home. Will Dellinger understands the heritage and history of these looms and we appreciate his commitment to putting them back in production here in North Carolina.”
May/June 2019
