What makes Red Land Cotton truly special?

It’s many things — the farm, the supply chain, our signature fabric. But what are you really paying for at the end of the day? When I reflect on it, the hardest work — the part that takes the greatest sweat and tears — is getting our fabrics made here in the USA. That is the craft of making Red Land Cotton.

Making textiles in America is hard. There are no vertically integrated mills. You have to piece your supply chain together through relationships and tight-knit communities that have held on through the years.

We started this company with our signature bed sheets, inspired by a family friend’s bedding that had been passed down to her from her great-grandmother. We knew we wanted to create something lasting — something that could be passed down. But we had no idea the challenges we would face in making this product in America.

First, we had to find a spinner — a yarn spinner willing to take our cotton and make the 22/1s yarn similar to what was used in “Grandma’s” sheets. Parkdale Mills was there from the beginning and continues to be our spinning partner. Additionally, Hill Spinning came into the picture to make yarns for our blankets and coverlets.

You have no idea the issues that can come up in spinning. The cotton qualities have to be just right to make the perfect yarn, and the spinning process must be precise. If not, issues show up on the loom during weaving — and even further down in the final product. Truly, your end product begins in the field.

Second, we had to identify a weaver — one able to weave cloth wide enough to make a bed sheet. We needed a weaver who knows how to work with cotton because, as we’ve come to learn, cotton is significantly more difficult to handle than polyester or synthetic fibers. The air filtration in the plant has to be right. They need slashing capabilities, because cotton yarns are fragile and must be coated to withstand weaving. In the beginning, they also had to be willing to take a chance on our wild dream — and that weaver was Hamrick Mills. They have been with us since the beginning, and this year we partnered together to install eight brand-new Toyota looms in their mill to weave our fabric.

You have no idea the headaches that can come from weaving. Imagine the challenge of producing perfect cloth across 120 inches, for hundreds of thousands of yards, where every defect is costly. When I watch those machines run, it still amazes me.

Third, we had to identify a finishing partner. A finisher takes the cloth from the weaver, washes it, removes any sizing or treatments applied to the yarn for weaving, and then dyes or bleaches the fabric. They also prepare the fabric so that it won’t shrink excessively and will perform well in your home laundry. When the fabric goes into finishing, it’s 120 inches wide. When it comes out, it’s 112 inches wide — that’s the natural contraction of cotton. This is a crucial step in the manufacturing process, and where we have the most fun creatively.

These are large operations, with football fields’ worth of machinery. The processes are long and winding, with fabric flowing in and out of machines, then back into rolling carts to move from one stage to another. It’s a beautiful process to watch — but again, the potential for error is high. Any machine oil, color variance, or manufacturing defect becomes visible here.

Finally, we arrive at cut and sew. For years, we worked with a cut-and-sew operation in our hometown of Moulton, Alabama. They were only a few miles away, and we would collect inventory daily. In 2024, we acquired that operation, and they moved into our warehouse location (where our store is). We also started a cut-and-sew factory in Tylertown, Mississippi, in 2020. Having our cut-and-sew production in-house allows us to control quality, manage seconds, fulfill rush orders, and offer custom work.

As you can see… this is the work. This is what it takes to make bedding in the USA right now. This is the craft of making Red Land Cotton. This is what you are paying for.

So when people ask why it costs so much — this is why. It’s long, it’s full of challenges, it’s complicated… and it’s beautiful. It’s necessary. We have to be able to feed and clothe ourselves as a country. We can’t let this craft disappear. We have to relearn it and be able to pass it down.

That’s why Red Land Cotton exists. And that’s why you choose to purchase from us. We’re here to do the hard work — and we’re grateful that you trust us to do it.