Federal and Defense Textile Summit

May 19: Tours

Tour Option 1: Cotton Incorporated Research Center Tour

Please note: This tour must be selected during registration. It is available on a space-available basis and will close either when capacity is reached or by May 1, when the final roster must be submitted to Cotton.

When. May 19, 2026 starting at 1:30 pm.
Location: 6399 Weston Parkway, Cary, North Carolina.
Parking Information. Due to limited parking, we do encourage carpooling.  Parking is available in the yellow highlighted areas on the parking map.

Please read the following:

  • Participants will enter the rotunda, receive a name badge and then will receive directions for an assigned conference room for a company overview before the tour begins.
  • In order to participate in the tour, you must be listed on the registration list.  RSVPing for the tour can be completed on your FEDTEX registration. The final registration list will be provided to the Cotton, Inc. three days prior to the event and only those registered will be able to participate.
  • Review the Safety Rules for Visitors prior to arrival and note the apparel and footwear requirements.  Safety is important to Cotton Incorporated. All guests should wear professional casual attire. Shorts and open-toed/open-heeled footwear are not permitted in Cotton Incorporated laboratories. ANSI-approved protective eyewear/safety glasses will be provided in all designated areas. Cameras are allowed in the laboratories.

Guests will view firsthand how cotton is processed from a fiber into a textile, then finished, and tested for quality assurance through a guided tour of Cotton Incorporated’s state-of-the-art textile pilot facility with five main laboratory areas. Expert research staff will guide guests through the Fiber Processing, Product Development, Dyeing and Finishing Applications, Color Services, and Product Evaluation Laboratories, sharing innovative research efforts and the textile manufacturing process. Guests will learn how Cotton Incorporated supports the U.S. Cotton Industry through research and promotion.