SIC 2241 Narrow Fabric and Other Smallwares Mills: Cotton, Wool, Silk and Manmade Fiber

Contenidos

• NAICS CODE(S).
• FURTHER READING.

SIC 2241

This category covers establishments primarily engaged in weaving or braiding narrow fabrics of cotton, wool, silk, and manmade fibers, including glass fibers. These fabrics are generally 12 inches or less in width in their final form but may be made initially in wider widths that are specially constructed for cutting to narrower widths. Also included in this industry are establishments primarily engaged in producing fabric-covered elastic yarn or thread.

Products that fall into the narrow fabrics category include webbing for military use, industrial belting, and automotive seat belts; narrow apparel products such as waistbands and straps; tapes for Venetian blinds, insulating, zippers, and fasteners; ribbons, laces, fringe, and other trimmings; and labels, strapping, and shoelaces.

Weavers of broadwoven fabrics, those that are generally greater than 12 inches in width, are covered in SIC 2211: Broadwoven Fabric Mills, Cotton; SIC 2221: Broadwoven Fabric Mills, Manmade Fiber and Silk; and SIC 2231: Broadwoven Fabric Mills, Wool (Including Dyeing and Finishing).

NAICS CODE(S)

313221

Narrow Fabric Mills

There were 238 U.S. operations engaged in the production of narrow fabrics in 2002, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. These companies produced and shipped $1.42 billion worth of narrow fabric products and employed more than 12,600 people, some 10,158 of whom were production workers. Annual payroll for all of the industry's employees totaled $334 million in 2002, while $624 million was spent on materials. The total value of shipped goods was $1.18 billion.

Narrow fabrics are usually divided into two categories: elastic and rigid (or nonelastic). Narrow fabrics that, when stretched, will return to their original shape and size fall into the elastic group. Elastic narrow fabrics include waistbands and some straps.

Narrow fabrics weaving machines differ from broadwoven weaving machines in more ways than the width of fabrics produced. Narrow fabrics weaving machines produce more than one fabric at a time. Generally speaking, the wider the fabric, the fewer multiples of fabric pieces are woven. Some narrow fabrics are produced on broadwoven weaving machines, and the fabric is slit into the narrow widths after it is woven.

Electronic machinery has become increasingly important to this industry, largely because of the need to be versatile. For example, a company that supplies labels for apparel has...