Pakistan’s Artistic Milliners announced on Friday that it has acquired a majority stake in Cone Denim, a renowned US-based denim mill with facilities in Mexico and China, from Elevate Textiles, Sourcing Journal reported.
The acquisition marks a strategic expansion for Artistic Milliners, which will continue to operate its Pakistan-based operations independently. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.
The new multinational entity will operate under the Cone Denim name, combining the strengths of both companies.
“Cone Denim’s distinctive position as the iconic American manufacturer joins Artistic Milliners’ global portfolio, creating an international organization that leverages our collective infrastructure and expertise to offer customers unparalleled service and flexibility. Our multinational manufacturing locations will offer speed, scale and surety of supply,” said Murtaza Ahmed and Omer Ahmed of Artistic Milliners in a joint statement.
With this acquisition, Cone Denim will provide fully integrated solutions, offering premium denim fabric through to finished garments. The company will maintain its mills in Parras and Yecapixtla, Mexico, and Jiaxing, China, while also operating Artistic Milliners’ recently inaugurated AM Mexico facility and Star Fades International (SFI) laundry and development center in Los Angeles.
The merger also brings together synergies from both organizations, allowing Cone Denim to better leverage its expanded footprint and capabilities. The new leadership team will be headed by Steve Maggard, president of Cone Denim, who will report to a Board of Directors that includes both Murtaza and Omer Ahmed, as well as Jeffrey P. Pritchett.
Pritchett expressed excitement about the partnership, saying, “By combining two global denim leaders, we can strengthen the Cone Denim legacy while leveraging our collective resources to expand in new global regions and enhance production capabilities in the U.S.”
Cone Denim will continue to operate as a standalone portfolio company under Artistic Milliners, with customers continuing to work with existing product and sales representatives. The companies also plan to expand into North Africa, offering enhanced fabric variety and design innovation to customers.
The collaboration between the two companies was showcased at Kingpins New York in July, where leaders from both organizations discussed how local sourcing of fabrics through regional partners, like Cone Denim, can expedite product development at AM Mexico.
