Enterprises & Infrastructure
Building Sustainable Futures in Manufacturing for Current and Future Workers
We do business differently. Choosing to work with us means investing in Western North Carolina's economy and supporting a stronger local workforce. Over the past seven years, we've created 125 jobs across our five community-owned enterprises, each focused on economic growth and ensuring employment stability.
Material Return
Material Return partners with both local manufacturers and national brands to innovate in the reuse of textile waste, crafting new products entirely within a 75-mile radius.
We're at the forefront of building a circular economy, where every reclaimed piece of textile not only contributes to environmental well-being but also bolsters local economies, enriches our workers' lives, and offers our clients sustainable solutions. Our vision is to establish Material Return as the leading hub in the U.S. for brands and manufacturers seeking bespoke circular processes, simultaneously uplifting the workforce in our region.
Good Books
Good Books is a cooperative led by minority women, offering bilingual bookkeeping, notary, and translation services to a diverse array of businesses.
We are committed to fostering the development of new enterprises in the region and providing underserved communities with the financial literacy necessary to create sustainable, local wealth.
Weaving an economic ecosystem that connects innovators to funding, cooperative strategies, and shared success.
Inspired by successful models like those in Mondragon, Spain, and Emilia Romagna, Italy, we're establishing a supportive ecosystem for businesses in Western North Carolina.
We offer loans and support to start community-owned businesses in manufacturing. Through our Capital for the Commons, loan fund and Land for the Commons, we provide startups with initial loans. These are recycled back into the fund as they're repaid, helping to launch new cooperatives and sustain community growth.
Capital for the Commons
We're committed to empowering small, democratically-run, and minority-owned businesses with the support they need to grow.
Our Capital for the Commons loan fund provides essential financial resources for expansion. At The Industrial Commons, we understand the challenges of accessing capital, particularly for rural and minority entrepreneurs. By investing in their innovative ideas, we aim to strengthen our community, ensuring every entrepreneur has the opportunity to succeed.
Land for the Commons
We’re creating affordable spaces and ownership opportunities for local workers and families.
From developing low-cost housing options to transforming an old factory site into a shared space for social enterprises, our goal is always to grow wealth inside of our communities.
The Industrial Commons’ Innovation Campus Phase 1
The Innovation Campus
Bringing life back to a 27.87-acre brownfield.
This transformative project is set to repurpose a once-forgotten factory site into a collaborative hub for small to mid-sized textile and furniture businesses. The initial development phase features two key structures: a versatile manufacturing center, equipped for both skilled training and incubation, and a central business support building designed to enhance our collaboration with partners across the region.
Draft site plan for our Housing Cooperative near the Innovation Campus created by Nelson, Byrd, Woltz, Landscape Architects, NVERSE Architects, and Baumgartner Urban Systems Strategy
Housing Cooperative
Helping workers build long-term wealth and financial stability through housing is a central part of our mission.
In line with our dedication to enhancing financial stability, we've recently acquired 10.29 acres in downtown Morganton to develop a unique cooperative housing initiative. This venture will employ a mixed ownership model, integrating the principles of a Limited Equity Cooperative with a Land Trust, aimed at ensuring affordability and enable modest wealth accumulation for our community members over time.