NAICS 313240

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the framework federal statistical programs use to categorize business establishments for collecting, analyzing, and publishing data about the U.S. economy. Established by the Office of Management and Budget in 1997 to replace SIC, NAICS was jointly developed by the U.S. and its North American partners and is maintained on a five-year cycle; the current vintage is 2022. ¹

NAICS 313240 (Knit Fabric Mills) historically covered establishments primarily engaged in knitting weft and warp fabrics and in manufacturing and finishing lace. Under the 2022 NAICS structure, knit fabric activities are represented by NAICS 313241 (Weft Knit Fabric Mills) and NAICS 313249 (Other Knit Fabric and Lace Mills); industry scope remains production‑process–based within Subsector 313 (Textile Mills). ²

What this NAICS covers

• Knitting weft (circular) fabrics, with or without in‑house finishing. ²
• Knitting warp (flat) fabrics, with or without in‑house finishing. ²
• Manufacturing lace and lace goods. ²
• Dyeing and finishing lace and lace goods as part of the same establishment. ²
• Knitting and finishing operations that may also further fabricate non‑apparel fabric products. ²
• Knit fabric mills organized under Subsector 313 rather than apparel manufacturing. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	313241	Weft Knit Fabric Mills. 2
NAICS	313249	Other Knit Fabric and Lace Mills. 2
PSC	8305	Textile Fabrics. 3
PSC	8310	Yarn and Thread. 3

Scope notes and cross‑references

• Knitting apparel (e.g., hosiery, underwear, outerwear) is classified in Industry Group NAICS 3151 (Apparel Knitting Mills), not in NAICS 313240. ²
• Separate finishing establishments (bleaching, dyeing, printing, mechanical finishing) for textiles/fabrics are classified in NAICS 31331, except when finishing is integrated within knit fabric mills. ²
• Weaving broadwoven fabrics is classified in NAICS 313210; nonwoven fabric production is classified in NAICS 313230. ²

2022 NAICS alignment note

Census economic programs began releasing data on the 2022 NAICS basis with the 2022 Economic Census and plan full adoption across most programs by the end of calendar year 2027. For knit fabrics, detailed 2022 publication uses NAICS 313241 and 313249. ⁴

Frequently asked questions

• Is NAICS 313240 still active for current federal statistics?
  Census programs are transitioning to 2022 NAICS through 2027. Knit fabric activities are published under NAICS 313241 and 313249 in 2022‑based data products. Legacy series may still show 313240 for 2017‑based outputs. ⁴

• What processes fall within the knit fabric mills domain?
  Knitting weft and warp fabrics; knitting and finishing those fabrics; manufacturing lace; and dyeing/finishing lace goods. Establishments may also further fabricate non‑apparel fabric products when integrated with knitting and finishing in the same plant. ²

• Where is knitting of apparel categorized?
  Apparel knitting (e.g., hosiery, underwear, outerwear) is assigned to Industry Group NAICS 3151, not to knit fabric mills classes in Subsector 313. ²

• Are stand‑alone finishing shops for knit fabrics included here?
  No. Separate finishing establishments for textiles and fabrics (bleaching, dyeing, printing, mechanical finishing) are classified in NAICS 31331. Knit fabric mills may include finishing when it is integrated with their knitting operations. ²

• How are weft versus warp knitting reflected in NAICS 2022?
  Weft knitting is designated NAICS 313241. Warp knitting and lace manufacturing/finishing are classified in NAICS 313249. ²

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 313240 overview
• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 2022 Sector 31–33 (Manufacturing): Includes 31324, 313241, 313249 descriptions. ²
• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS Codes & Understanding Industry Classification Systems (overview and structure). ¹
• U.S. Census Bureau — Implementation of 2022 NAICS (timeline and adoption across programs). ⁴

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau. NAICS Codes & Understanding Industry Classification Systems (2022 Economic Census). https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/year/2022/technical-documentation/code-lists/understanding-naics-redirect.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau. NAICS 2022, Sector 31–33 (Manufacturing) — subsector and industry details, including 31324, 313241, 313249. https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect31-33.html
3. General Services Administration. Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual. https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual
4. U.S. Census Bureau. Implementation of the 2022 NAICS. https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html