Santee Print Works, a family-owned textile printer that has made fabrics in South Carolina since the late 1940s, told state labor officials it will permanently close its Sumter County plant by December 20, 2025, The Post and Courier reported on October 22, 2025. About 140 workers are expected to lose their jobs.
The closing
The company prints and dyes woven fabrics used in flags, bedding, apparel and furniture coverings. Operations at the current Sumter County site began in 1952. Around 2000 the plant employed about 1,100 people, a company executive told the paper at the time. Layoffs followed in 2001 and 2005, with the company citing cheaper imports from China.
In a 2023 lawsuit, the company said it lost Hobby Lobby, one of its biggest accounts, after Hurricane Sally damaged its factory and equipment in 2020.
“The decision to close in the next few months was a hard and disappointing one for ownership to make.”
Santee Print Works statement, via The Post and Courier
Why it matters for Made in USA
Printed and dyed fabric is a key step in USA textile supply chains. When a domestic printer closes, USA apparel, bedding and furniture makers that want to keep fabric made in the USA have fewer options and may need to import, which can affect whether their products still qualify for an unqualified Made in USA claim.
The closing also shows that strong demand for USA-made goods in headlines does not always reach the mills that supply those goods.
FAQ
When will Santee Print Works close?
By December 20, 2025, according to its notice to South Carolina labor officials.
How many jobs are affected?
About 140 workers are expected to lose their jobs.
What did Santee Print Works make?
Printed and dyed woven fabrics used in flags, bedding, apparel and furniture coverings.
Source & credit
Originally reported by The Post and Courier (John McDermott) on October 22, 2025: SC textile plant with a Made in the USA mantra is closing after more than 75 years