Driving a Sustainable
and Regenerative
Textile Economy
Suh Hee Cook and Nasif Mahmood, students in Dr. Jessica Gluck’s Tissue Engineering Lab at NC State Wilson College of Textiles, examine a polymeric tissue scaffolding sample.
Research & Development
From developing new materials designed for circularity to driving sustainability and innovation across the textile industry, we are pushing our resilient and critical industry to new frontiers and breaking the boundaries of what it means to be a textile.
- Financial support for research/capital access and venture capital development
- Industry-leading case studies
- Product testing, prototyping, and sourcing
- Life cycle analysis
Our region of service boasts the largest concentration of textile workers in the United States.
Translation to Innovation
The Textile Engine creates pathways to commercialization for technologies developed within the Engine and with partner organizations, ensuring these technologies drive investment, job creation, and economic prosperity in our region.
- Technology-based regional economic development
Manufacturing Solutions Center Knitting Technicians Chandler Smith (left) and Mitchell Beckler (right) operate Santoni circular knitting equipment that allows NCTISE to work on textile product development projects using recycled and sustainable materials.
Workforce Development
Workforce development is key to creating access to new, high-paying jobs and securing a ready workforce for partner companies in the region. Our programs will provide pathways to employment at all levels, from secondary education to lifelong learning.
- Workforce development research
- Access to workforce experts
- Apprenticeship and internship opportunities for high school and community college students
- Curricula, certificates, and pathways within sustainable textiles
- Wrap-around services that address barriers to employment
- Resources for manufacturers
Sharley Mendoza and Erica Damman, members of The Industrial Commons, attend an ecosystem training on community building.
Ecosystem Building
The Textile Engine is building on our legacy of textile manufacturing to network and amplify our region’s capacity for innovation and production. We create a dynamic community for entrepreneurs, small businesses, scaled manufacturers, educational institutions, economic developers, and frontline workers to ensure a collaborative environment that ensures the resiliency of our industry and communities.