Press Kit
V2.0 / November 2025
Welcome to the Press Kit for NSF Textile Innovation Engine of North Carolina.
This site is a tool to provide overall company information: brand mission, vision, our region of service, key personnel bios, etc. The Media Guide also includes approved logos with usage rules and well as high-resolution images and recent press coverage.
For additional information or media requests not covered in this Press Kit, please email Lizzie Warfield.
Why Textiles Matter
Textiles touch nearly every aspect of daily life and form a crucial part of our daily lives and our economic stability and national preparedness. Strengthening this industry in the U.S. means more jobs, a resilient supply chain, and a competitive edge in the global market.
The textile industry underpins a wide variety of other industries, including fashion, automotive, aerospace, agriculture, and healthcare – and drives advanced circular materials and innovations, from high‑performance fabrics to regenerative fibers – with applications across:
Driving Jobs, Innovation, and Security
Our industry supports over 500,000 jobs and contributes billions to the economy through manufacturing, exports, and technological advancements. A strong U.S. textile sector ensures a reliable domestic supply of essential materials for military, medical, and emergency needs, reducing dependence on foreign imports.
Textile Innovation Engine Boilerplates
About Us
About UsThe NSF Textile Innovation Engine of North Carolina aims to renew America’s textile industry to lead in global technological innovation, drive economic growth, create quality jobs, and safeguard the fabric of our nation.
The Textile Innovation Engine is advancing the competitiveness of America’s textile industry through research, development, and commercialization of next-generation materials and processes to work toward extending the life of textile products, protecting our nation’s textile supply chain, and rebuilding the industry’s workforce for future needs.
The Textile Innovation Engine is powered by The Industrial Commons, a nonprofit with a strong reputation within the textile sector and other fields for being a hub of regional, rural innovation with deep local, national and sectoral knowledge and relationships. Core partners include NC State University’s Wilson College of Textiles, Manufacturing Solutions Center at Catawba Community College, Gaston College Textile Technology Center, Western Piedmont Community College, NC IDEA Foundation, and North Carolina Department of Commerce.
Our Purpose
Our PurposeAs a regional catalyst for global innovation, The Textile Innovation Engine collaborates with supply chain, market, education, and government leaders. Together, we accelerate research, commercialization, manufacturing, and workforce readiness.
Our ecosystem strengthens rural communities, creates quality jobs, and safeguards the fabric of our nation. We are committed to honoring our textile legacy and the people and places that move our industry forward.
Mission
MissionTo advance the competitiveness of America’s textile industry through research, development, and commercialization of next-generation materials and processes to extend the life of textile products, strengthen the U.S. textile supply chain, and rebuild the industry’s workforce for future needs.
Vision
VisionRenew America’s textile industry to lead in global technological innovation, drive economic growth, create quality jobs, and safeguard the fabric of our nation. A regional catalyst for global innovation.
Our Role to Advance U.S. Textiles
From concept to commercialization, the Textile Innovation Engine unites researchers, manufacturers, and entrepreneurs to advance sustainable textiles and create new opportunities across the U.S. supply chain.
A Regional Catalyst for Global Innovation
As a regional catalyst for global innovation, The Textile Innovation Engine ignites greater collaboration to accelerate –
- Cutting-edge materials research, from high-performance fabrics to renewable fibers.
- Commercialization of regenerative and circular business practices.
- Advanced manufacturing and workforce readiness training.
We partner with leaders across manufacturing, research, education, and government. Our ecosystem strengthens rural communities, creates quality jobs and drives supply chain resiliency. Together, we’re weaving innovation into America’s textile future, positioning the U.S. as a global leader in sustainable textile technology.
Our Unique Value to the Industry
We leverage market demand and build creative consumer-driven solutions.
We engage rural areas that have been left out of economic growth and innovation.
We create locally rooted wealth and prioritize community impact.
We have deep and extensive existing partnerships.
We bring circular solutions to scale from R&D to commercialization.
The Textile Engine Advantage
Research
Discovering solutions to societal changes
Fiber to Future
Partnering to accelerate Innovation
THE ENGINE ADVANTAGE
We believe the future is woven — not in isolation, but in collaboration. By uniting discovery with delivery, we turn breakthrough ideas into tangible impact. From molecule to market, we’re building the future of textiles.
FIBR-Tech Research Fund
Driving innovation in sustainable and regenerative materials
Translation
Research to real-world solutions
Seed to super-natural
The Textile Hemp Consortium
THE ENGINE ADVANTAGE
The Textile Engine drives breakthrough solutions to reach commercial scale and deliver real-world impact.
The Circular Textile Consortium
Rubbish to Raw Materials
Workforce
Expanding Training and Job Opportunities
Learning to Livelihood
Workforce Development
THE ENGINE ADVANTAGE
Addressing critical education and training gaps, we prepare workers for today’s advanced textiles manufacturing and automation technologies. Our workforce development resources open doors for workers to obtain higher skilled, higher paying jobs.
High School Curriculum
Creating Career Pathways
Textile Innovation Engine 10-Year Collective Impact
Our Impact Areas
The Textile Innovation Engine is driving impact and integration across Four Pillars: Research & Development, Translation-to-Market, Workforce Development, and Regional Engagement. Together, these focus areas will catalyze a resurgence of textile excellence and supply chain security in America.
Textile innovations, advanced materials and resilient manufacturing practices go hand in hand. When superior raw materials, yarn and fabric production, and assembly manufacturing are knitted closer together, supply chains can run more smoothly, reducing wait times and improving lead time efficiency that minimize waste, increase cost savings, and respond faster to market demand.
Our Work: Transforming America’s Textile Future
Research
Funding Textile Innovation
The Textile Innovation Engine has created the nation’s first Fiber‑Based Innovations for Regenerative Technologies Research Fund (FIBR‑Tech) to drive high‑priority research and integrated research pathways that support innovations across technology readiness levels.
Collaboration with our core partners brings together unmatched expertise and capabilities. These resources include research labs, pilot production, and testing facilities to support scientific discovery.
Through a technical Advisory Board, comprising a broad scope of industry representatives and trade organizations, The Textile Innovation Engine ensures FIBR‑Tech funding is directed to the most critical areas to support industry needs and solve barriers to innovation and domestic manufacturing.
Our research priorities include:
- Circular and natural materials development
- Biobased materials discovery
- Advanced materials for high‑tech and extreme environment applications
- Technologies for supply chain traceability and materials demand‑supply match
- Advancements in manufacturing, fiber identification, and automation
Translation
Catalyzing New Markets
Woven into the mission of The Textile Innovation Engine is the development of multidisciplinary “working groups” created to solve higher-level challenges and accomplish goals that exceed the capacity of any single company or organization.
Uniting organizations with diverse expertise, we bring together entities that specialize in different facets of an industry through a consortium model to catalyze new markets in textile circularity and textile hemp by identifying and solving gaps with innovation and technology, de-risking investments, and connecting the regional supply chain with global demand.
Improving U.S. Textile Circularity
Collaborating together, supply chain members and demand side members work across competitive organizations to establish a post-consumer textile waste recycling system, transforming textile and garment waste into new products through various forms of supply chain activation and technologies.
Recapturing U.S. Industrial Hemp Fiber Leadership
Working together, academia, industry experts, industry partners and strategic brand collaborators will seed regenerative farm practices & standards, consistent quality processing, fiber standards and spinning best practices to achieve the consistency, quality and reliable supply chain needed to scale.
Working together, academia, industry experts, industry partners and strategic brand collaborators will seed regenerative farm practices & standards, consistent quality processing, fiber standards and spinning best practices to achieve the consistency, quality and reliable supply chain needed to scale.
The U.S. generates over 17 million tons of textile waste annually*, presenting a significant opportunity to convert this waste into valuable, new, usable fiber. A circular approach to textiles is a clear path to reduced cost for yarn, when produced at scale, a resilient supply chain that balances the need for virgin materials.
Workforce
People Power
Building a Future-Ready Workforce. A resurgence in advanced manufacturing, textile innovation, and automation technology offers renewed textile career pathways and economic growth opportunities.
The Textile Innovation Engine is developing and expanding education, career development, and training programs – including mentorships, internships, apprenticeships, micro-credentials, 2+2 graduate pathways – to increase advanced learning and participation for students and workers to transition into high-paying, sustainable careers, ensuring a skilled workforce that supports industry growth and innovation.
Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Gaston Community College, Catawba Valley Community College, Western Piedmont Community College, and North Carolina State University, The Textile Innovation Enginee is bridging skill gaps and building a future-ready workforce.
Ecosystem
Power in Partnership
Networking For Progress. The Textile Innovation Engine is building a dynamic global ecosystem to drive textile innovation and industry growth.
Through strategic partnerships, targeted programming, and strong advocacy, it will accelerate innovation, reshape industry perception, and influence policy to strengthen U.S. manufacturing. By providing resources, capital, and infrastructure, The Textile Engine empowers brands, startups, and scaling companies to thrive in a modern, competitive textile sector.
Our Region of Service
The Textile Innovation Engine’s region of service encompasses all counties in North Carolina and stretches into the Appalachian regions of upstate South Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and southern VA.
Grounded in the historical and still-significant “Textile Belt” region, The Textile Innovation Engine aims to disrupt and revolutionize the $96 billion textile industry. While other regions of the U.S. have lost textile jobs, this region’s textile industry has stabilized.
This region boasts the largest concentration of textile workers in the U.S., with over 27,000 workers and an additional 30,000 in adjacent industries, such as waste streams and furniture workers, spanning almost 2,000 companies.
Learn more about our Leadership, Expertise & Governance Teams
Our News
Insights, partnerships, and progress shaping the future of textiles.
Resource Media Library
Logo
The NSF Textile Innovation Engine logo is the primary identifier for our brand. It captures our name, mission, and legacy.
When utilizing the identity it is imperative that it is shown in its entirety as you see below.
Logo Scaling & Clear Space
The logo has been crafted to read well, even at small sizes. There is no limit at large scale, but be careful at smaller sizes. If legibility is an issue, it’s too small. 😉
Please don’t crowd the logo. When placing other elements nearby, ensure minimum clear space.
The clear space is calculated using the Icon within the logo itself. Clear space should be the percentage of the scale shown above.
Imagery
The assets shown below are approved for media and press usage. To access, please click the button below to take you to the dropbox. Any other visual image or video requests should be submitted through the contact page.
When using any imagery provided please add “Copyright NSF Textile Innovation Engine 2026” near the images whether in print or in digital form.
Informational Brochure/1-Sheet
Additional information may be found in our 1-Sheet Brochure that is available in Google Drive through the link below.
Any other visual image or video requests should be submitted through our contact page.
