Alabama-based Red Land Cotton completed construction of a 25,000-square-foot storefront store, warehouse and distribution center in its base of Lawrence County. That facility is now up and running. The expansion and the recent opening of a manufacturing facility in Mississippi is necessary to deal with surging demand for its heirloom-inspired linens. Total investment in its growth plan is $1.5 million and has created jobs in both states.
Anna Yeager Brakefield is the co-founder of Red Land Cotton.
“I believe that we have been smarter about our marketing on social media and search engines, and we have grown our product offerings allowing for several different points of entry to our brand,” Brakefield said.
Brakefield also credited an increased resolve from consumers to buy American-made goods
Brakefield’s father, Mark Yeager has been growing cotton on their family property near Moulton for thirty years. He practices sustainable farming as well as a custom ginning operation. Five years ago, he and his daughter started Red Land Cotton turning the family business from one that produced a commodity to product to one that turned that agricultural commodity into a quality retail product that is marketed direct to consumers.
Red Land Cotton is named for the red Alabama clay soil that the Yeager farm to grow the cotton that they turn into custom sheets and other linens.
Economic developer Nicole Jones said:
“Family-owned businesses are part of the heart and soul of Alabama. Red Land Cotton’s bed linens and bath towels are crafted in the US with cotton sourced directly from their north Alabama farm. The company takes great pride and care in recreating historic-inspired heirloom pieces and is dedicated to making the United States a manufacturing powerhouse again. The growth of Red Land Cotton is proof that the American Dream still exists. Congratulations to Red Land Cotton and to Lawrence County on the recent expansion.”
The Yeagers have seen their sales volume climb 215 percent from March to August 2020.
Red Land Cotton has gained widespread attention, with the products featured in publications such as Southern Living, Garden & Gun and Country Living.
Tabitha Pace is the president and chief executive of the Lawrence County Industrial Development Board.
Pace said that the economic benefit of Red Land Cotton’s recent expansion will be seen in the community for many years to come.
“We are honored to have Red Land Cotton in our community as a company that thrives on 100 percent American-made products, but has an impact throughout the world,” Pace said. “Red Land Cotton is the perfect example of the American dream, and we are happy that the dream began in Lawrence County, Alabama.”
Brakefield said that additional growth is expected and the family plans to double their workforce over the coming year.
Last year, Red Land Cotton added four new jobs to its fulfillment and distribution team, as well as 18 jobs created at its new cut-and-sew manufacturing plant in Tylertown, Mississippi, that is currently producing sheets, loungewear and bathrobes.
“The addition of this manufacturing arm of our business raised our employee total to 26 and is allowing us increased production capacity as well as oversight on the final production aspect of our sheeting production,” Brakefield said.
Red Land Cotton’s most popular products are its Basic Sheet Set and Bath Towel Bundle.
“Both are core offerings that give a simple taste for our brand and the exceptional American manufactured quality of our products,” Brakefield said. “Further, our quilts are very popular and our ticking stripe print remains out of stock due to high demand.”
The company’s products are available for shipment worldwide, but sales are focused on customers in the U.S.
“Our focus is primarily on domestic sales as one of our most defining aspects is our dedication to a completely American-made supply chain across all product offerings,” Brakefield said.
