Largest Textile Manufacturing Companies in the World - QL Textiles

The global textile industry is a trillion-dollar titan that touches nearly every aspect of modern life, from the clothes we wear to the medical supplies we rely on. This article explores the massive entities driving this sector, breaking down the largest manufacturers by region, capability, and market influence.

What Defines a “Largest” Textile Manufacturer

Defining “largest” in textiles is complex because the industry is segmented into various stages like spinning, weaving, dyeing, and garmenting.

Production Capacity

This refers to the sheer volume of output. For a spinner, it is measured in spindles or tons of yarn. For a fabric maker, it is millions of meters of cloth produced annually. Top-tier companies often have vertically integrated facilities that handle every step from raw fiber to finished product.

Global Presence and Supply Chain Scale

Size is also measured by footprint. The biggest companies operate across multiple continents to mitigate geopolitical risks and stay close to key markets in the US, Europe, and Asia.

Product Range and Market Influence

Revenue alone does not tell the whole story. Some companies are “large” because they dominate a specific high-value niche, such as automotive airbags, fire-resistant military gear, or luxury eco-fibers. This gives them outsized influence over global pricing and trends.

Global Market Overview

Asia-Pacific remains the factory of the world. China continues to lead in total volume and export value, contributing roughly 50% of global textile output. India follows as a top cotton and yarn producer, while Vietnam and Bangladesh are powerhouses in garment assembly. Europe and the United States have shifted their focus toward high-value technical textiles and non-wovens.

The market is currently valued at over $1.1 trillion and is projected to reach $1.7 trillion by the mid-2030s. The biggest shift is “China Plus One,” where global brands are diversifying sourcing to nations like India and Vietnam to reduce reliance on a single country.

Automation is no longer optional. The biggest factories now use AI-driven quality control and robotic warehousing to combat rising labor costs. Simultaneously, environmental regulations are forcing giants to adopt waterless dyeing technologies and recycled fibers to stay compliant with EU and US standards.

Top Textile Manufacturing Companies Global

Lenzing Group (Europe)

Lenzing is not a traditional weaver but a fiber giant that sits at the start of the supply chain. Based in Austria, they are the world market leader in wood-based cellulosic fibers. Their strength lies in their proprietary closed-loop production process which recovers more than 99% of the solvent used.

They are best known for TENCEL™ (lyocell), LENZING™ ECOVERO™ (viscose), and VEOCEL™ (non-wovens). These fibers are the foundational material for sustainable collections across brands like H&M, Zara, and Levi’s.

Lenzing holds a “premium sustainability” position. While other companies make generic viscose, Lenzing’s branded fibers command a higher price because they offer certified traceability. Their advantage is their massive intellectual property portfolio in green chemistry.

Toray Industries (Japan but major EU operations)

Toray is a diversified chemical giant where textiles are just one (very large) part of the business. They are famous for blending chemistry with textiles to create futuristic materials. They operate extensively in Europe and globally, supplying raw materials that most traditional mills cannot replicate.

Toray is the world leader in carbon fiber (used in Boeing aircraft and high-end sports gear) and synthetic suede (Ultrasuede™). In apparel, they are the hidden wizard behind Uniqlo’s famous HEATTECH fabric technology.

Their competitive moat is R&D. Toray does not compete on cheap cotton; they compete on materials science. They dominate the high-barrier markets of aerospace textiles and advanced medical fabrics.

Milliken & Company (United States)

Headquartered in South Carolina, Milliken is one of the largest privately held manufacturers in the world. They are unique because they combine deep manufacturing history (founded 1865) with a massive research division that holds thousands of patents.

Milliken specializes in protective fabrics (flame-resistant gear for firefighters and electricians), military uniforms, and commercial floor coverings. They recently made headlines by eliminating all PFAS (forever chemicals) from their textile fibers.

Milliken dominates the “critical safety” market. When a fabric must perform to save a life (e.g., fire resistance or arc flash protection), Milliken is often the specified supplier. Their advantage is trust and liability protection.

Elevate Textiles (United States)

Elevate is a portfolio company that owns some of the most historic names in the industry. It functions as a holding company for brands like American & Efird (A&E), Burlington, and Cone Denim. They have a massive global footprint with 37 facilities worldwide.

A&E is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of industrial sewing thread (literally holding the world’s clothes together). Burlington supplies dress uniform fabrics to the US military. Cone Denim has heritage status in the jeans world.

Their strength is ubiquity. A&E thread is used in everything from automotive airbags to fast fashion t-shirts. This diversification protects them; if fashion slows down, their automotive or technical thread divisions can pick up the slack.

Weiqiao Textile (China)

Weiqiao is a titan of volume. For years, it has held the title of the world’s largest cotton textile enterprise. Based in Shandong, it is part of a massive conglomerate that also dominates the aluminum industry. In 2024, the parent group took the textile unit private, delisting it from the Hong Kong exchange to streamline operations.

They produce staggering amounts of cotton yarn, grey fabric (unfinished cloth), and denim. Their output volume is so high that their production shifts can actually impact global cotton prices.

Weiqiao is the “Foxconn of textiles.” Their advantage is economies of scale. They have their own power plants, which allows them to keep energy costs, a major expense in spinning, significantly lower than their competitors.

Fujian Septwolves (China)

Septwolves (Seven Wolves) differs from Weiqiao because it is consumer-facing. Established in 1990, they are one of China’s most famous menswear brands. They are vertically integrated but focus heavily on branding, retail, and design rather than just raw manufacturing.

They are historically known as the “King of Jackets” in China. Their product line includes business casual menswear, suits, and a growing line of lifestyle apparel. They have also acquired distribution rights for international luxury marks like Karl Lagerfeld in China.

Their power lies in their distribution network. With thousands of stores across China, they have deep penetration in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, a market segment that global luxury brands often struggle to reach effectively.

QL Textiles (China)

Nantong Kelin Textile Co. (operating as QL Textiles) is a specialized manufacturer located in Nantong, a region famous for home textiles. Unlike the massive conglomerates, they are a focused player dedicated to the hospitality industry. They emphasize “craftsmanship spirit” in their weaving and finishing processes.

Their focus is hotel linens. This includes high-thread-count bedding, duvet covers, pillowcases, and bath linens designed specifically to withstand the rigorous industrial laundering of hotels while maintaining a luxury feel.

QL Textiles competes on reliability and niche expertise. By focusing strictly on hospitality, they understand the specific durability requirements of hotels better than a generalist mill. They position themselves as a partner for mid-to-high-end hotel chains requiring consistent quality.

Arvind Limited (India)

Arvind is the flagship of the Indian textile industry. Headquartered in Gujarat, they are the largest textile company in India by revenue. They are true pioneers who introduced denim manufacturing to India in the 1980s and have since evolved into a technology-led advanced materials company.

They are a global powerhouse in denim (producing over 100 million meters annually) and woven shirting. Beyond fashion, they have a rapidly growing “Advanced Materials” division making composites and protective fabrics.

Arvind’s advantage is innovation. They are not just a mill; they are a design partner to brands like Gap, Zara, and H&M. They provide “vertical solutions,” meaning they can design the fabric, make the garment, and wash it, offering a one-stop shop for Western brands.

Vardhman Textiles (India)

Vardhman is often called the “steel of the textile industry” in India due to its rock-solid reputation and financial stability. They are primarily a B2B giant, focusing heavily on the spinning (yarn making) sector. They operate with a conservative but highly efficient management style.

They are one of the largest spinners in India, producing a vast range of yarns (cotton, blended, acrylic) and processed fabrics. They supply high-quality fabric to retailers like Uniqlo and GAP.

Operational excellence is their hallmark. Vardhman consistently runs its spindles at higher efficiency rates than the industry average. Their massive yarn capacity gives them control over raw material costs for their fabric division.

Welspun Group (India)

Welspun is India’s ambassador to the global home textile market. They are famous for their aggressive export strategy and deep ties with US retailers. If you have bought a towel or sheet set at Walmart, Costco, or Target in the US, there is a high chance it was made by Welspun.

They are the world’s largest manufacturer of terry towels. They also produce bed linens and rugs. They own the Christy brand (which supplies towels to the Wimbledon tennis tournament) and have a patented “Hygrocotton” technology that makes towels fluffier after washing.

Welspun’s advantage is customer relationships. They are deeply integrated into the supply chains of American big-box retailers. They also lead in data tracking, having launched “Wel-Trak” to allow customers to trace the cotton in their products back to the farm.

Nishat Mills (Pakistan)

Nishat Mills is the jewel of the Nishat Group and the largest textile company in Pakistan. Established in 1951, it is a vertically integrated behemoth. One of their unique strengths is their internal power generation capacity, which insulates them from the energy grid instability that sometimes affects the region.

They do it all: spinning, weaving, dyeing, printing, and stitching. They are major exporters of home textiles and apparel to European and US markets. They also operate a massive domestic retail chain called “Nishat Linen.”

Their competitive edge is low cost combined with vertical integration. By controlling everything from the power plant to the retail store, they can maintain healthy margins even when global cotton prices fluctuate.

Gul Ahmed (Pakistan)

Gul Ahmed is perhaps the most recognized textile brand within Pakistan. While they have a massive manufacturing base, they are arguably more famous for their retail footprint, “Ideas by Gul Ahmed,” which revolutionized fashion retail in the country.

They produce high-quality yarn, apparel fabrics, and home textiles. They are particularly famous for their “Lawn” collections (a lightweight cotton fabric essential for South Asian summers) which often sell out within hours of release.

Gul Ahmed serves as a bridge between manufacturing and fashion. Their ability to dictate trends in the domestic market while simultaneously exporting huge volumes to Europe gives them a dual revenue stream that balances risk.

Conclusion

The landscape of the “largest” textile companies is diverse. It ranges from raw material giants like QL Textiles that feed the global supply chain, to innovation leaders like Toray and Milliken that create the fabrics of the future. As we move toward 2030, the companies that will remain on this list are those that can successfully pivot from pure volume to value by integrating sustainability and digital tracking into every meter of cloth they produce.

Related reading:

1. 2025 Largest Textile Mills in the UK
2. 2025 The Largest Textile Mills in the U.S.

3. Exploring Bamboo Fabric: A Sustainable Textile Solution