Fresh from the Field: North Carolina

Fresh from the Field is a series of research trips led by ATW80F to take deep dives into fascinating fabrics and their ecosystems.

In January 2023, co-founder Tierney Thys and Outreach Director Lesli Robertson traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina and surrounding areas to meet with fabric experts and explore the rich culture of fabric innovation in the region. These bio-innovators, fashion activists, conscientious business people and biodiversity advocates are adding to our ecosystem of celebrated changemakers who will influence what we wear now and into the future.

Why did we choose North Carolina?

Mills and manufacturing continue to be an important part of North Carolina history. This state was once the largest textile manufacturing center in the US after WWI. Increases in foreign imported clothing in the 1970s however negatively impacted textile manufacturing. Another hit came in 1994 when the US, Canada and Mexico signed the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), causing many businesses to offshore their purchases, buy cheaper goods elsewhere which lead to factory closures and the loss of thousands of jobs. 

Despite these immense impacts on the Carolina textile economy, this state continues to have a strong role in the textile industry. With all existing resources like its raw material agriculture, manufacturing equipment and talented people including those with decades of knowledge  and those with fresh new perspectives, there is a truly vibrant fabric ecosystem in this part of the countr. We felt we had  just  barely caught a glimpse of its richness on our research trip!