SUFFOLK, Va. — While the vast majority of T-shirts sold in America are made abroad, one Virginia farming family is proving it doesn’t have to be that way — growing cotton and turning it into finished clothing entirely within the United States.
Bosselman Farms, based in Suffolk, has teamed up with an Ohio garment manufacturer to build a completely domestic supply chain under the brand Old Myrtle Cotton Co. The venture is also in step with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s newly unveiled Great American Cotton Plan, a federal initiative designed to boost profits for cotton growers, rebuild the country’s textile manufacturing base, and grow demand for American-grown cotton.
This fall, volunteers at the State Fair of Virginia will wear Old Myrtle Cotton Co. T-shirts — a walking symbol of what a fully homegrown cotton supply chain can look like, supported by Virginia farmers and the state’s Farm Bureau.
Whitney Perkins, executive director of the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture, Innovation and Rural Sustainability, described what fair attendees can expect. “They’re going to be a natural, undyed cotton with the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation centennial logo,” she said. “And there will be a state fair display following the journey of Virginia cotton to T-shirts, with an opportunity for guests to order their own shirts from Old Myrtle!”
Perkins worked alongside fourth-generation farmer David Bosselman to secure value-added grant opportunities that helped launch the T-shirt company.
Bosselman says the proof of how unusual this model is can be found right in your own closet. He encourages people to flip over their shirt and check the tag.
“Honduras, Vietnam, China, Taiwan and all over Indonesia,” he said, rattling off the typical countries of origin.
The USDA’s “Plant Not Plastic” initiative echoes that message, urging shoppers to look for clothing made from natural American cotton rather than synthetic, plastic-based materials.
Bosselman acknowledges that keeping production entirely in the U.S. comes at a higher price point, but he believes it’s worth it. “You can buy a shirt like that a dime a dozen,” he said. “Even though it costs a little bit more to be 100% American made, I think that our quality is far better than what we’re getting from overseas.”
Old Myrtle’s natural line features undyed cotton shirts that keep their organic off-white color throughout the manufacturing process. The longer cotton fibers used give the fabric added durability. “The twisting process with longer fibers makes the material a little bit stronger,” Bosselman explained. “It even has those tiny specks of seed trash in there like nothing’s been done to it.”
Beyond the natural line, Old Myrtle also offers soft, dyed shirts using the Pantone Matching Color System. A special garment-dyeing process gives those shirts a comfortable, worn-in feel and a vintage, faded appearance right from the start.
“You can touch it and the quality speaks for itself,” Perkins said.
A display tracing the journey of Virginia cotton into finished shirts will be on view in the Meadow Pavilion at the State Fair of Virginia, which runs September 25 through October 4 at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County.
