Textile industry | High Point, NC
IT Services for Textile Manufacturers and Fabric Businesses
Preferred Data supports the computers, networks, security and business software of textile mills and fabric businesses. We keep plants and offices running on one plan and prepare defense suppliers for CMMC. We have worked from our office in High Point, North Carolina since 1987, are on site anywhere within 200 miles, and support mills and fabric businesses remotely across the United States and around the world. Schedule a consultation or call (336) 886-3282.
What we cover for textile companies
- Managed IT for mills, warehouses and offices on one per-user plan
- Plant and warehouse WiFi and segmented networks
- 24/7 threat detection and response on every plan, plus CMMC readiness for defense suppliers
- Fabric roll and cut tracking in the PDC Software Suite ERP
- Restore-tested backup for orders, patterns and accounting
- In business since 1987
- 39 years
- Active clients
- 100+
- Average client tenure
- 20+ years
- BBB Accredited rating
- A+
- On site from High Point; remote support worldwide
- 200 mi
- Threat monitoring on every plan
- 24/7
Services textile companies use us for
Each card links to the full service page, with what is included, how it is priced and answers to common questions.
Managed IT
Monitoring, patching, helpdesk and planning for mills, warehouses and offices, priced per user per month.
Learn moreCybersecurity and CMMC readiness
24/7 detection and response on every plan, with CMMC and NIST 800-171 readiness on Preferred Complete.
Learn morePlant and warehouse WiFi
Coverage for large mill floors and warehouses, with machines kept apart from office traffic.
Learn morePDC Software Suite
On-premise ERP with fabric inventory: roll and cut tracking by pattern and width.
Learn moreBackup and disaster recovery
Restore-tested backup for orders, patterns and financial records.
Learn moreNetwork infrastructure
Firewalls, switching, cabling and segmentation for plants and offices.
Learn moreWhat IT services do textile manufacturers need?
Textile companies need dependable IT in the office, a network that covers large plant floors, strong security and inventory software that understands fabric. The industry is big where we are headquartered: North Carolina has the #2 largest textiles workforce in the country, about 32,000 workers in textiles, nonwovens and apparel, and more than 640 textile and textile product mills, according to the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.
North Carolina exported $1.6 billion in textile goods, and NC State's Wilson College of Textiles is the only U.S. university with a college devoted entirely to textiles, per EDPNC. The industry spans traditional mills, nonwovens and apparel, and those businesses run on order entry, inventory and plant networks that cannot go down.
- Managed IT: workstations, servers, Microsoft 365, helpdesk and planning on one monthly agreement
- Networks: plant and warehouse WiFi and segmented networks from our network team
- Security: 24/7 detection and response, MFA, email protection and awareness training on every plan
- Backup and disaster recovery sized to how long the plant can be down
Key takeaway: For a mill, IT downtime is lost production. See the cost of IT downtime for manufacturers.
How can a textile company track fabric inventory by roll and cut?
The PDC Software Suite, an on-premise ERP written in High Point, includes a fabric inventory module that tracks individual rolls and cuts by pattern and width. It sits alongside order entry and invoicing, inventory, purchase orders, bill of materials and production, receivables, payables and the general ledger in one database.
The Suite runs on your own server and is changed to fit how you work, with custom programming quoted before any work starts. It is licensed on its own agreement, separate from managed IT. See the PDC Software Suite page for the full module list.
Why are textile manufacturers targeted by cyberattacks?
Because they are manufacturers, and manufacturing has been the most attacked industry for five years running. It accounted for 27.7% of the incidents IBM X-Force observed in 2025, with data theft the most common outcome, according to the IBM 2026 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index.
Every Preferred Data plan, including the smallest, includes endpoint detection and response, 24/7 managed detection and response monitored by people, MFA, patching, email threat protection, security awareness training and backup we verify by restoring it. Preferred Professional adds identity threat detection, email encryption and zero-trust VPN; Preferred Complete adds recurring vulnerability scanning and an annual security assessment.
Plant equipment belongs on its own network segment, apart from office PCs and guest devices, so one infected laptop cannot reach production. Read network segmentation for manufacturers or see cybersecurity services.
Do textile suppliers to the military need CMMC?
Only if their Department of Defense contracts involve Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). The question comes up often for textiles because the Berry Amendment generally requires the DoD to buy clothing, fabrics and fibers that were grown, reprocessed, reused or produced in the United States, according to the International Trade Administration, so a domestic mill may sell to the military directly or through a prime contractor.
CMMC contract requirements took effect on November 10, 2025. The phase that would have required third-party certification for most CUI work was suspended on July 13, 2026, and a September 3, 2026 class deviation directs contracting officers to remove CMMC third-party assessment requirements from contracts while the program is reviewed. Self-assessments remain: under the CMMC program rule, Level 1 (FCI) means 15 basic safeguarding requirements with an annual self-assessment in SPRS, and Level 2 (CUI) means the 110 requirements of NIST SP 800-171.
Preferred Complete includes readiness management for CMMC and NIST 800-171, and it is an add-on to Preferred Professional. We prepare you; certification comes from your own self-assessment or an accredited third-party assessor, never from your IT provider. Start with our CMMC Level 1 self-assessment guide and Phase 2 suspension briefing.
Which managed IT plan fits a textile company?
Most textile companies fit Preferred Professional, which adds identity protection, on-site visits when a problem cannot be fixed remotely and quarterly IT planning to the security baseline. Mills that supply the DoD and need CMMC readiness, or run shifts that need a 24/7 helpdesk, usually need Preferred Complete.
| Need | Essentials | Professional | Complete |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24/7 threat detection and response, MFA, patching, restore-tested backup | Included | Included | Included |
| Helpdesk hours for multi-shift mills | Business hours | Extended hours, priority response | 24/7, including after-hours and weekends |
| On-site visits to the mill (within 200 miles of High Point) | Quoted before work starts | Included when we cannot fix it remotely | Unlimited on-site support |
| Technician hours included each month (whole account) | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| CMMC and NIST 800-171 readiness management | Not included | Add-on | Included |
| Planning | Annual technology review | Quarterly reviews, IT roadmap and budget | Dedicated vCIO, monthly cadence |
Plans are priced per user per month, and servers, firewalls, switches and access points are counted during a free quote and covered on the same agreement. Details and a quote request are on the pricing page.
Where do you work, and do you come on site?
Preferred Data supports textile companies remotely across the United States and around the world, and on site within 200 miles of our office at 1208 Eastchester Drive in High Point, North Carolina. That on-site area reaches mills across the Piedmont Triad and the foothills as well as companies around Charlotte and Raleigh. Our service area page lists what we deliver remotely and on site.
- IT services in High Point, Greensboro and Winston-Salem
- Hickory, Charlotte and Raleigh
- Related industries: manufacturing and furniture
Free resource library
Free resources for textile manufacturers
Guides, free tools, policy templates and checklists picked for textile manufacturers, in one place. Everything here is free to read and use. Most of it needs no sign-up; the policy generators ask for your contact details before the finished document unlocks.
Start with a guide
GuideEcoVadis and Customer Security Questionnaires: What US Manufacturers Need to KnowWhat EcoVadis ratings and customer questionnaires ask of US manufacturers, why customers ask, what EU law does and does not require, and which parts your IT can help prove.
GuideHow to Use AI at Work Safely: A Small Business GuideHow a small business can use AI tools safely: approve the right tools, keep sensitive data out, write a short policy, train people and have a person check the output.
GuideRansomware: How North Carolina Small Businesses Prevent It and RecoverWhat ransomware is, how criminals usually get in, the handful of controls the FBI and CISA recommend, what to do in the first day, and whether to pay.
GuideCyber Insurance for Small Businesses: What Insurers Ask and How to QualifyWhat cyber insurance covers, the security controls insurers commonly ask about, why claims get disputed, and how to get ready for your next renewal.
GuideNorth Carolina Data Breach Notification Law: A Plain-English GuideWho North Carolina's breach notice law applies to, what counts as personal information and a breach, who you must notify and when, and the written disposal policy the law expects.
Free tools
Free toolSPRS Score CalculatorAnswer the 110 NIST SP 800-171 requirements in plain language and see your estimated SPRS score, from -203 to 110, plus the gaps worth the most points.
Free toolCyber Insurance Readiness CheckerSixteen quick questions about the security controls insurers commonly ask about, with a readiness score and a fix list in priority order.
Free toolCybersecurity AssessmentEighteen yes, partly or no questions on logins, computers, data and people, with a letter grade and the actions to take first.
Free toolIT Budget CalculatorPick the IT services your business needs and get a realistic monthly and yearly budget range for your size.
Free toolWebsite Health AnalyzerEnter any web address to check its speed, security settings and search basics, with a score for each.
Free toolM&A Technology Readiness AssessmentFor buyers of a business: rate the target company’s technology risk and see how hidden IT costs could change the deal math.
Show 2 more free tools
Free toolEmail Domain Security CheckerType your domain to see, in plain English, whether criminals can send email in your name and whether you meet the Google and Yahoo sender rules.
Free toolMSP Evaluation ScorecardCompare up to three managed IT providers on the questions that matter, from response times to who owns your passwords, and print your results.
Policy templates
Policy templateIT Supplier Code of ConductSet clear expectations for the companies you buy IT from: security, data protection, ethics, labor and environmental basics, take-back and recycling, and your right to ask for evidence.
Policy templateSystem Security Plan (SSP) StarterA starter System Security Plan for defense contractors that handle CUI, organized by the 14 NIST SP 800-171 families, with a plan of action and milestones (POA&M) section and the CMMC rules that apply to it.
Policy templateOT and Plant Floor Security PolicyProtect the machines, PLCs, HMIs and plant PCs that run production: an equipment list, a wall between office and plant networks, safe vendor access, USB rules, backups of machine programs and a plan for machines you cannot patch.
Policy templateAI Governance PolicySet how your organization approves, uses, oversees and audits AI tools, aligned to the NIST AI Risk Management Framework.
Policy templateAI Acceptable Use PolicyGive every employee clear, signable rules for using ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini and other AI tools at work without exposing company or customer data.
Policy templateIT Acceptable Use PolicySet clear rules for how employees use company computers, email, internet, software and data, and what monitoring they should expect.
Show 18 more policy templates
Policy templateInformation Security PolicyEstablish the core security program every insurer, auditor and customer now asks about: data classification, access control, patching, encryption, logging and vendor risk.
Policy templateIncident Response PlanKnow exactly who does what in the first hours of a ransomware attack, data breach or business email compromise, including who to call and which notification clocks start.
Policy templatePassword and MFA PolicyModern password and MFA rules based on current NIST SP 800-63B guidance: long passphrases, a password manager, no forced resets, and phishing-resistant MFA where it matters.
Policy templateRemote Work and BYOD PolicyLet people work from home and use their own phones safely, with clear rules for home networks, device enrollment, company data and what happens when someone leaves.
Policy templateData Backup and Recovery PolicyDefine what gets backed up, how often, where copies live and how fast you must recover, using the 3-2-1-1-0 rule that ransomware now demands.
Policy templateWire Transfer Verification PolicyStop fake invoices and email payment fraud with simple rules: call back on a known number before any bank change, two approvers for large payments, and no payment changes by email alone.
Policy templateVendor Risk Management PolicyChoose and monitor the vendors that hold your data or reach your systems: a vendor list, simple risk tiers, security questions, contract clauses, remote access rules and a clean exit.
Policy templateAccess Control PolicyGive people only the access they need, protect every sign-in with MFA, keep admin accounts separate, review access every quarter and remove it the moment someone leaves.
Policy templateData Retention and Destruction PolicyDecide what records to keep and for how long, with a sensible default schedule, legal holds, and secure destruction of paper and devices following NIST SP 800-88.
Policy templateSecurity Awareness Training PolicyDecide who gets cybersecurity training, when, how phishing tests work, and which training records you keep for insurers and customer questionnaires.
Policy templateBusiness Continuity PolicyKeep the business running through storms, outages, fires and cyberattacks: critical functions, recovery targets in plain words, a call tree and an annual tabletop test.
Policy templateData Protection and Privacy PolicySet internal rules for the personal and confidential data you hold: collect less, limit access, share carefully with vendors, handle requests, and respond to a breach under North Carolina law.
Policy templateIT Asset Disposal PolicyRetire old computers, phones, servers and copiers safely: track every device, wipe or destroy data to NIST SP 800-88, get certificates of destruction, and recycle through certified recyclers.
Policy templateVendor Remote Access PolicyControl how vendors, machine builders, software suppliers and IT providers connect in: approved tools only, a named account and MFA for every technician, access switched on per session, logged sessions and quick removal.
Policy templateIncident Response PlaybooksStep-by-step playbooks for email account takeover, vendor or IT provider compromise, insider data theft, malware, misdirected data and website attacks, built to work with your incident response plan.
Policy templateBreach Notification ProcedureDecide with your breach counsel whether an incident legally requires notice, then notify the right people with the right content: North Carolina rules by default, with HIPAA, FTC, DFARS and multistate steps when they apply.
Policy templateIncident Report FormThe forms to fill in during a cyber incident: an initial report, triage sheet, timestamped log, evidence and chain of custody register, decision log, notification tracker, cost tracker and closure summary.
Policy templateTabletop Exercise PlanRehearse your incident response plan in a two-hour guided discussion: ready-made ransomware, wire fraud and account takeover scenarios with timed injects, a scoring sheet and an after-action report.
Checklists
ChecklistEcoVadis IT evidence checklistThe IT and data security documents to gather before an EcoVadis assessment or a large customer’s security questionnaire.
ChecklistRansomware: the first 24 hoursHour-by-hour steps for the first day after ransomware or a suspected breach: what to unplug, who to call, and what to report.
ChecklistEmployee offboarding IT checklistEverything to revoke, recover and transfer when someone leaves: accounts, MFA, shared passwords, email, devices, keys and licenses.
ChecklistOffice move IT checklistThe IT plan for moving or opening an office: internet orders, phones, cabling, Wi-Fi, cameras, cutover weekend and testing.
Recent articles for textile manufacturers
Questions textile companies ask us
How much do IT services cost for a textile manufacturer?
Managed IT is priced per user per month, with servers, firewalls, switches and access points counted during a free quote and covered on the same agreement. We do not publish a rate card. Request a written quote on the pricing page or call (336) 886-3282.
Does your software track fabric rolls and cuts?
Yes. The PDC Software Suite includes fabric inventory that tracks rolls and cuts by pattern and width, alongside orders, inventory, purchasing, bill of materials and accounting. It is licensed separately from managed IT, and custom programming is quoted per project.
Does a textile mill that sells to the military need CMMC?
It does if its DoD contracts involve Federal Contract Information or Controlled Unclassified Information. Level 1 is an annual self-assessment against 15 safeguarding requirements, and third-party assessment requirements are currently suspended under the September 3, 2026 class deviation. Preferred Complete includes CMMC and NIST 800-171 readiness management.
Can Preferred Data certify us for CMMC?
No IT provider can. We prepare you with readiness management (monitoring, documentation and evidence collection), and certification comes from your own self-assessment or an accredited third-party assessor (C3PAO), depending on the contract.
Do you support large plant floors and warehouses?
Yes. We design and support WiFi and wired networks for plants and warehouses, with machines and cameras on separate segments from office and guest traffic. See manufacturing and warehouse WiFi.
Is 24/7 support included for mills that run multiple shifts?
Every plan includes 24/7 threat detection and response and around-the-clock endpoint monitoring. The helpdesk runs business hours on Preferred Essentials and extended hours on Preferred Professional; Preferred Complete adds 24/7 support including after-hours and weekends.
Do you work with textile companies outside North Carolina?
Yes. Managed IT, helpdesk, security monitoring, CMMC readiness management and fabric inventory software support are delivered remotely to mills and fabric businesses across the United States and around the world. On-site work, such as plant WiFi and network installation, is within 200 miles of our High Point office. Microsoft 365 licensing outside the United States and any on-site need beyond 200 miles are set out in your written quote. Our service area page lists what we deliver remotely and on site.
Sources
- Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Textiles and Nonwovens in North Carolina
- IBM Newsroom, IBM 2026 X-Force Threat Index (February 25, 2026)
- International Trade Administration, Berry Amendment Implementation
- Federal Register, Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program final rule (32 CFR 170)
- Federal Register, DFARS final rule on CMMC contract requirements (effective November 10, 2025)
- Holland & Knight, DOW Suspends CMMC Phase II Requirements (July 2026)
- Nextgov/FCW, CMMC Phase 2 suspension locked into binding regulation (September 2026)
Related services and resources
Get a written IT plan for your mill and your office
Tell us how many people and machines you run, whether you supply the DoD and what is not working today. We will walk the site, recommend a plan and put in writing what it does and does not cover. The quote is free.
Preferred Data Corporation, 1208 Eastchester Drive, Suite 131, High Point, NC 27265