American Merchant, the newly announced production facility in Bristol, Virginia, to bring soft, high end towels a lot closer to home. American Merchant’s state-of-the-art production facility will make producing those high-end towels a lot easier, and all of it will be accomplished right in Bristol.

Towels produced by American Merchant will be made from 100 percent USA-quality cotton. The company will ship cotton into the facility from various states, including the Southeast region.

Highland cotton and pima cotton are the two types of cotton used in the towel industry, Robert Burton, Chairman of American Merchant said. The shorter staple cotton is what will be coming from this region of the country. The longer staple cotton will be brought in from the Midwest — from California and Arizona.

Burton further added that they will buy the spun yarn and prepare the beams. After weaving the beams and the looms, you’re inserting yarn, and it’s a very high-speed insertion process that they will use to create the towels. They will then dye them and finish them onsite in the building.

Most towels are made of cotton, but the look and feel depends on the type of cotton used. Towels designed for everyday use are made of standard cotton, while more expensive towels will have longer, more fibrous threads. Ultra-soft bath towels typically use Egyptian cotton or, increasingly, the American-grown version, called pima cotton, which offers a luxurious look and feel.

Most retailers out there have what is known as a good, better and best towel. They want to produce heavier, high-quality towels, Burton said.

The towels produced at the Old Abingdon Highway facility will be sold in major retailers, including Bed, Bath and Beyond, Belk and other big-box stores, according to Burton. They have a long list of candidates; they want to put these towels into their stores.