NAICS 424310

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal standard for classifying business establishments so agencies can collect, analyze, and publish statistics on the U.S. economy. Developed by the Office of Management and Budget with Canada and Mexico, NAICS replaced SIC in 1997 and is updated about every five years, with the current vintage being 2022. ¹

NAICS 424310 covers establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of piece goods, fabrics, knitting yarns (except industrial), thread and other notions, and hair accessories. Census cross‑references clarify boundaries, excluding fabric converters and wholesalers of industrial yarns, which are classified elsewhere. ²

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 424310 overview
• G2X — NAICS 31331 Textile and Fabric Finishing Mills
• G2X — NAICS 424990 Other Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers

What this NAICS covers

• Merchant wholesaling of piece goods and yard goods (textile bolts, rolls). ²
• Merchant wholesaling of fabrics (woven, knit, nonwoven) for apparel or home textiles. ²
• Merchant wholesaling of knitting yarns excluding industrial grades. ²
• Merchant wholesaling of sewing thread and similar inputs. ²
• Merchant wholesaling of notions and apparel findings (e.g., zippers, buttons). ²
• Merchant wholesaling of hair accessories as dry goods. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Where government statistics use this code

• Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS) publishes national estimates for merchant wholesalers, including sales, e‑commerce, inventories, purchases, and expenses by NAICS for wholesale trade. ³
• The 2022 Economic Census provides NAICS Sector 42 tables (including industry‑level statistics) on a 2022 NAICS basis. ⁴

Frequently asked questions

• What does NAICS 424310 include?
  Establishments that buy and sell piece goods, fabrics, knitting yarns (non‑industrial), sewing thread, notions (such as buttons and zippers), and hair accessories at wholesale. It covers traditional dry goods distributors and excludes retailing and agents/brokers who do not take title to goods. ²

• What activities are excluded from 424310?
  Fabric converters are classified under NAICS 31331, and wholesalers of industrial yarns are classified under NAICS 424990. These Census cross‑references delineate the boundary of 424310. ²

• Did 2022 NAICS changes affect 424310?
  Census highlights a consolidation within Wholesale Trade combining former clothing wholesaler codes into NAICS 424350. That summary does not indicate a change to 424310. Always verify with the official NAICS 2022 entry for confirmation. ⁵

• Which PSC codes often align with 424310-type buys?
  Common product codes include PSC 8305 (Textile Fabrics), PSC 8310 (Yarn and Thread), and PSC 8315 (Notions and Apparel Findings). Use the PSC Manual for definitive definitions and inclusions. ⁶

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 424310 overview
• Economic Census: NAICS background and update cadence (includes note that 2022 Economic Census statistics use 2022 NAICS). ¹
• NAICS 424310 industry description (Census reference text). ²
• 2022 Economic Census — NAICS Sector 42: Wholesale Trade tables and documentation. ⁴
• Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual (definitions for PSC 8305/8310/8315 and related). ⁶

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — About Industry: NAICS background and update cadence. https://www.census.gov/topics/employment/industry-occupation/about/industry.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 2022, 424310 Piece Goods, Notions, and Other Dry Goods Merchant Wholesalers (definition and cross‑references). https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=424310&year=2022&details=424310
3. U.S. Census Bureau — Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS) program overview. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/awts.html
4. U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 Economic Census, NAICS Sector 42: Wholesale Trade. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/naics-sector-42.html
5. U.S. Census Bureau — Impact of changes to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), including Wholesale Trade consolidations. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2024/11/naics-changes.html
6. General Services Administration — Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual, April 2025. https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf