Rebuilding American Manufacturing: What We Shared at Kent State and Why It Matters Even More Today

Four weeks ago, Aidan had the privilege of speaking at Arts Without Limits at Kent State University’s School of Fashion. With so many members of our team having come out of Kent State, returning to campus didn’t just feel like a lecture—it felt like a full-circle moment for Found Surface.

Since then, we’ve been processing the conversations, the questions, and the momentum it sparked. And as our industry continues to shift faster than ever, the themes shared that day feel even more urgent now.

This blog isn’t a recap of the entire talk—we want you to watch the full video for that. Instead, it’s a reflection on the ideas brought into the room, the conversations that followed, and the direction we’re building toward in this moment.

Why We Are Focused on Rebuilding Not Just Bringing Back American Manufacturing

The last month alone has underscored how fragile traditional global manufacturing has become. Brands are reevaluating their dependence on distant suppliers, synthetic-heavy materials, and mass-production models that no longer align with modern values—or modern consumers.

At Kent State, Aidan spoke openly about this shift:

The goal isn’t to recreate the old American apparel system.
It’s to build a new one.

One that is:
• Traceable
• Responsive
• Human-centered
• Material-conscious
• Designed for small-batch and smart fulfillment—not overproduction

Over the past four weeks, more brands have reached out with the same fundamental question: How do we make better things in a better way—and make it work at scale?

This is the problem Found Surface is built to solve.

The Questions Students Asked Revealed the Future of the Industry

The questions posed during the visit mirrored what we hear weekly from emerging brands and established companies alike. Their instincts matched where the industry is heading—and in the month since the talk, these themes have only accelerated.

“How do we avoid adding to the problem?”
Sustainability has shifted from optics to operations. Our composting program with Rust Belt Riders continues to grow, and we’ve diverted even more organic cotton scraps from landfills in the weeks since the talk.
“Can natural dyes and clean materials scale?”
With our partners at Green Matters Natural Dye Company, new testing rounds this month have pushed natural dyeing closer to viable scale for brands planning 2026–27 seasons.
“What does a modern U.S. supply chain actually look like?”
Our Texas → South Carolina → Cleveland cotton pipeline is expanding. We’re running larger yarn orders, tightening lead times, and refining cost structures—making U.S.-grown organic cotton competitive in ways that didn’t exist a year ago.
“What role does technology play in the future of factories?”
In the weeks since the lecture, we’ve refined our production workflow for the move into our new 16,000 sq ft facility. The smart-manufacturing concepts discussed—real-time tracking, flexible batch production, intelligent tooling—are becoming real, tangible parts of our operation.

The future isn’t back to basics.
It’s high-tech, high-transparency, high-responsibility.

A Snapshot of What Has Happened at Found Surface Since the Talk

The timing of the visit was meaningful because the last month has been one of our most transformative yet.

• The new 16,000 sq ft facility buildout is underway.
A space originally planned for pickleball is becoming the Midwest’s modern hub for knitting, cut-and-sew, flexible flow-manufacturing, and material innovation.

• Our private label program has accelerated.
Brands across athletic, boutique retail, collegiate, and emerging e-commerce categories have placed new knitwear and jersey orders. Our low-MOQ jacquard sweater program continues opening doors for both small and established brands.

• Regional wool development has moved forward.
We’re in active testing with Midwest partners to keep Ohio wool out of burn piles and into real product pipelines. Conversations sparked by the Kent visit helped clarify how we communicate this work.

• We received an influx of internship and early-career inquiries.
Students didn’t just listen—they responded. Several are now moving through our hiring pipeline as we prepare to scale our team into 2027.

Why This Conversation Matters Right Now

The time spent with students underscored something important:

People entering the industry today aren’t looking to maintain the system they’re inheriting—they want to rebuild it.

And that mindset is exactly what American manufacturing needs.

The challenges we face aren’t small:
• Material waste
• Synthetic dependency
• Global overproduction
• Lack of transparency
• Worker exploitation

But the solutions won’t come from repeating the past. They’ll come from new factories, new supply chains, new tools, and new thinkers—the kind we met four weeks ago.