Thanks to a $28 million gift from alumnus Frederick “Fred” Eugene Wilson Jr. and his family, North Carolina State University’s College of Textiles henceforth will be known as the Wilson College of Textiles.  A world leader in textile research, the Wilson College of Textiles is the only standalone textile college in the United States.

“Thank you so very much to the Wilson family.  This gift is significant for the U.S. textile industry,” said National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) Chairman Marty Moran, CEO of Buhler Quality Yarns Corporation and a holder of a degree in textile management from North Carolina State University.

“As a fellow alumnus I’m proud and grateful to the Wilson family for giving back so selflessly to help others.  As the CEO of a textile company and as chairman of the largest Washington, DC-based trade association representing U.S. textiles, I’m excited because this gift will help mould the next generation of leaders and innovators,” Moran added as he noted more than fifty companies participated in the Wilson College of Textiles career fair on September 26.

“The Wilson family’s donation will benefit not just North Carolinians, but the entire U.S. textile supply chain,” stressed Moran as he explained NCTO and its member companies often work closely with Wilson College of Textiles faculty and students on everything from solving technical problems to innovating and manufacturing the fibres, yarns and fabrics of tomorrow.

NCTO President and CEO Auggie Tantillo said: “On behalf of NCTO’s entire membership, I want to express appreciation to the Wilson family for their very generous gift. Further, we are grateful to the Wilson College of Textiles for their continued dedication and invaluable contribution to the U.S. textile industry.”     

NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers, including artificial and synthetic filament and fibre producers.

• U.S. employment in the textile supply chain was 550,500 in 2017.
• The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $77.9 billion in 2017.
• U.S. exports of fibre, textiles and apparel were $28.6 billion in 2017.
• Capital expenditures for textile and apparel production totalled $2.4 billion in 2016, the last year for which data is available.