A groundbreaking ceremony for the Industrial Commons’ Innovation Campus Thursday signaled a potential renaissance for the U.S. textile industry, reimagining manufacturing through a lens of sustainability, worker empowerment and circular economic principles. The event also celebrated the 10-year anniversary of The Industrial Commons. Once a powerhouse of American manufacturing, the textile industry – and the furniture manufacturing sector in this region – has faced decades of decline, with production largely shifting overseas. However, the Industrial Commons is demonstrating that the future of American textiles isn’t about competing on low-cost production, but on innovation, sustainability and worker-centered practices.
