Our History
In the mid-1980s, apparel manufacturers were thriving in North Carolina and narrow fabrics played an important role in the manufacture of underwear, athletic clothing and other apparel. Asheboro Elastics Corp’s founding partners, Keith Crisco and his colleagues had the vision to create a company that employed local people and contributed to the local community.
AEC launched in 1986, with its headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Asheboro, North Carolina. By the early 2000s, founder and president, Keith Crisco transformed AEC into a family-owned company, successfully addressing core business in the apparel industry and developing narrow fabrics for new markets.
Through acquisitions and organic growth, AEC grew significantly, while embracing new manufacturing and finishing technologies. AEC’s reputation for knitted elastics expanded to include woven products and rigid narrow fabrics. New capabilities with color-matching, printing, weaving, and finishing supported customers’ branding and manufacturing initiatives.
In 2011, AEC celebrated its 25th anniversary as a significant, preferred supplier of narrow fabrics to many industries, with worldwide distribution and additional manufacturing in Central America to augment its North Carolina plants. A year later in 2012, AEC purchased Telas Elasticas in Honduras, expanding its manufacturing capabilities with a location in Central America.
AEC continues to pursue new opportunities for growth, strategic investments in technology and new product development for different markets. With its introductions of new attributes in narrow fabrics, expansion of manufacturing and distribution to serve global markets and continual commitment to service excellence, AEC is poised for a great future.