The Industrial Commons (TIC), a dedicated industry-focused nonprofit based in western North Carolina, has secured a significant boost with a US $ 10 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). This substantial financial injection will fuel the establishment of a cutting-edge, 40,000-square-foot green textile manufacturing hub in Burke County, instigating the wave of circularity in apparel throughout North America.
The forthcoming facility is designed to be a manufacturing incubator, set to revolutionise the production of circular textiles for the entire region. This innovative process involves breaking down textile waste and transforming it into new yarn, ultimately serving as a raw material to create fresh products at TIC and throughout the textile manufacturing supply chain, thus leveraging the country’s economy.Governor Roy Cooper commended North Carolina’s rich legacy in textile manufacturing and innovation. He emphasised that this investment would fortify the state’s textile economy, particularly aiding the growth of one of the USA’s largest nonwovens manufacturing workforces.TIC, a women-led nonprofit, focuses on supporting the scaling of employee-owned businesses and industrial cooperatives while advocating for enhanced economic prosperity within the manufacturing workforce, with a strong emphasis on diversity and equity. It now serves as the home to three enterprises—Good Books, Carolina Textile District, and Material Return, collectively diverting a remarkable 1.8 million pounds of fabric from landfills over the past five years. The manufacturing hub will be a pivotal component of TIC’s expansive Innovation Campus, slated to occupy the former Drexel Heritage Furniture site in Morganton.In essence, this project is anticipated to attract US $ 60 million in private investment and generate 85 jobs spanning across the region. Besides equipping the upcoming workforce with essential skills through tailored training programs, the initiative will nurture the next generation of circular textile industry professionals in Appalachia. Furthermore, the project will provide advanced manufacturing training for numerous students and workers, establish a robust textile supply chain, and foster connections among entrepreneurs in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and further to entire North America.
Source: https://apparelresources.com/