It’s no secret that the Upstate once was a world-renowned textile production capitol, with Cherokee County a vital thread in the Upstate’s designation. As the textile industry has shifted, Upstate industries have seized opportunities to diversify their product lines and explore increasingly complex materials, such as flame-resistant fabrics, specialty fabrics for use in military and healthcare industries, and more.

Cherokee County’s ease of access to Interstate 85, with connectivity to nearby producers in Spartanburg and Greenville and proximity to major markets in Charlotte and Atlanta, has proven a strong location choice for Milliken & Co., which has three materials operations in Limestone, Magnolia and Allen plants.

In addition to textiles, several plastics producers also have chosen Cherokee as their operational homes. Moderna Products, a Belgium-headquartered producer of plastic products for the pet industry has an operation in Gaffney, and RheTech Engineered Plastics, a Michigan-headquartered manufacturer of thermoplastic compounds, produces goods in Blacksburg.