The property of Vidalia Mills, a vertical denim mill in Vidalia, Louisiana, was scheduled for a sheriff’s auction on April 9, 2025, Sourcing Journal reported on March 18, 2025.
What is at stake
- The sale includes about 82 acres and the 900,000-square-foot former Fruit of the Loom building the mill retrofitted after opening in 2018.
- The mill owed about $32.5 million to two credit unions as of Nov. 14, 2024, according to the Concordia Sentinel.
- Its 40 Draper X3 shuttle looms, built in Hopedale, Massachusetts, in the 1940s, came from the closed White Oak plant in Greensboro, North Carolina.
- Pete Roberts of ORIGIN USA is exploring a joint venture with other brands to keep the looms in the USA.
- Roberts said relying on Mount Vernon Mills as the only USA denim source is a “single point of failure.”
“I hope they stay in America and continue operating here.”
Pete Roberts, ORIGIN USA
Why it matters for Made in USA
The looms are some of the last USA capacity for selvedge denim. If they are sold overseas, USA jeans brands lose an option.
FAQ
When was the auction?
It was scheduled for April 9, 2025.
What are Draper X3 looms?
Shuttle looms made in Massachusetts in the 1940s, used to weave selvedge denim.
How much did Vidalia owe?
About $32.5 million as of November 2024.
Source & credit
Source: Sourcing Journal, March 18, 2025: “US Denim Insiders Seek to Preserve American Heritage Looms”, by Angela Velasquez. Related: USA-made denim brands and costs.