NC State-Wilson College of Textiles

What NC State-Wilson College of Textiles does

Wilson College of Textiles is the academic unit of North Carolina State University dedicated to textile education and research, founded in 1899 and operating from NC State's Centennial Campus in Raleigh, NC. It is described as the only college in North America solely focused on textiles, offering undergraduate, graduate, and K-12 programs spanning textile engineering, textile technology, fashion and textile design, fashion and textile management, and polymer and color chemistry. Teaching and research are supported by specialized facilities including a Knitting Lab, Spinning Lab, Dyeing and Finishing Lab, and the W. Duke Kimbrell Flex Factory, as well as research centers such as The Nonwovens Institute, the Textile Protection and Comfort Center (TPACC), the Fashion and Textile Business Excellence Cooperative (FTBEC), and Zeis Textiles Extension for professional courses.

The college's core revenue mechanics combine tuition and fees with philanthropic contributions channeled through the North Carolina Textile Foundation; the 2026 Day of Giving campaign raised $8,709,476 from 549 gifts, placing Wilson at the top of NC State's leaderboard. Notable recent gifts include the Prakash Chand Kochhar Endowed Deanship, Faculty fund, and Graduate Support Endowment, as well as $100,000 and $500,000 gifts from Amy Bircher Bruyn and MMI Textiles. Industry-sponsored Senior Design capstones with corporate partners — including Meta, Apple, Volvo, Hanes, Hitachi Energy, and the NC State Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort Center — provide a real-world project pipeline, while partnerships with the Carolina Hurricanes, Parsons Paris, the Paris College of Art, and Walt Disney World extend industry and global exposure for students. The college is led by Dean David Hinks, the inaugural Prakash Chand Kochhar Dean.

Name

NC State-Wilson College of Textiles

Legal name

Wilson College of Textiles

Website

https://textiles.ncsu.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Wilson College of Textiles is NC State's academic college dedicated solely to textiles, offering undergraduate, graduate, and K-12 programs in textile engineering, design, chemistry, and management from its Raleigh campus, serving students, industry partners, and donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Textiles)

NAICS

Textile Mills (313), Knit Fabric Mills (313240)

SIC

Textile Mill Products (2200), Knitting Mills (2250)

akta.pro primary industry

Fashion & Textile Arts (Sewing, Patternmaking, Knitting, Crochet) (EDAAAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aerospace & Defense Technical Textiles (Ballistic/Parachute/Radar-Absorbing/Composites Reinforcement) (IMAOADAF), Carbon, Energy & Resource Efficiency Services for Textile Manufacturing (Audits/Heat Recovery/Renewables) (IMAOAMAN), Knitted Fabric Mills (IMAOABAB), Dyeing Operations (Piece/Yarn/Fiber/Garment) (IMAOACAB)

Keywords

• Textile education
• Fashion design programs
• Textile engineering degrees
• Polymer color chemistry
• Nonwovens research

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate student tuition and fees for textile-related degree programs.
2. Philanthropic donations: Day of Giving and ongoing fundraising through North Carolina Textile Foundation, alumni donations, and major gifts like the $8.7 million raised in 2026 and $600,000 from Amy Bircher Bruyn.
3. Donor-funded student support: Philanthropist Anil Kochhar paid off student loans for 176 graduating students totaling approximately 200 recipients including master's students.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Wilson College of Textiles delivers specialized undergraduate and graduate education in textile engineering, textile technology, fashion and textile design, fashion and textile management, and polymer and color chemistry, with hands-on training in dedicated labs and the W. Duke Kimbrell Flex Factory. It supplements degree programs with industry-sponsored Senior Design capstones, study abroad experiences, K-12 outreach, and continuing-education courses through Zeis Textiles Extension for industry professionals.

Product overview

The Wilson College of Textiles at NC State offers a comprehensive educational portfolio centered on undergraduate and graduate degree programs in textile engineering, textile technology, fashion and textile design, fashion and textile management, and polymer and color chemistry. The college operates as the only institution in North America dedicated solely to textiles, providing hands-on learning through specialized labs (Knitting Lab, Spinning Lab, Dyeing and Finishing Lab) and the W. Duke Kimbrell Flex Factory for innovation. Students gain practical experience through industry-sponsored Senior Design capstone projects, study abroad programs, and internships. Research centers including The Nonwovens Institute, Textile Protection and Comfort Center (TPACC), and the Fashion and Textile Business Excellence Cooperative support both academic and industry needs. Annual signature events like NC State Fashion Week showcase student work through multiple runway shows and exhibitions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wilson for Life: A promise and program creating a family-like community that supports students and alumni throughout their lives
• North Carolina Textile Foundation
• NCTF

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates are among the most sought-out anywhere due to specialized textile education
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Carolina HurricanescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Professional NHL hockey team collaborated with Wilson College marketing students in FTM 387: Textile Brand Communications and Promotions. Three student groups created real-world marketing campaigns, including a winning pitch for off-season pop-up shops at local breweries targeting Raleigh transplants. Students presented 'Shark Tank' style pitches to Hurricanes marketing team.
• Needle & Thread Co.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Local brand partnered with Wilson College marketing students for real-world campaign projects in FTM 387 course.
• Dress RaleighminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Local business partnered with Wilson College marketing students for real-world campaign projects in FTM 387 course.
• MetacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Technology company sponsored Senior Design project 'Stretch and Recovery Without Spandex for Wearables' with group members Nicholas Domnick, Emma Otten, Caeden West.
• ApplecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Corporate sponsor for Senior Design project on cosmetic defect evaluation for Apple using digital microscopy, image processing and colorimetric analysis. Team included Deacon Petree, Abigayle Carr, Nicole Nguyen.
• NC State Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026First place Senior Design winner sponsored project on 3D-Printed Laundry Device for Sorbent-Based Cleaning of Firefighter Turnout Gear, along with Sootsoap.
• Hitachi EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Second place Senior Design sponsor for 'O-Boom' Oil Reactive Gasket project with group members Kiersten Baumgartner, Kennedi Hosey, Michael Oman.
• HanescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Corporate sponsor for Senior Design project on affordable cooling sleepwear development.
• VolvocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Corporate sponsor for Senior Design industry-sponsored projects in the capstone course.
• Gregg Museum of Art & DesignminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 April 2026Art museum hosted Art2Wear 2026 fashion show as part of NC State Fashion Week, bridging Wilson College and College of Design collaboration.
• Walt Disney WorldminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026Jamie Piraino, junior in fashion and textile design, interned as costume buying intern at Walt Disney World in Orlando.
• African American Textile Society (AATS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Student organization presented 28th annual Fashion Exposé during Fashion Week. NC State's longest running fashion show featuring student designers from NC State and surrounding universities.
• MMI TextilescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Premier supplier of industrial and custom textiles founded by Amy Bircher Bruyn. Sponsored industry tour for 17 students from NC State and West Virginia University to TS Designs and other NC textile facilities. Established $100,000 enrichment fund and $500,000 planned gift for Wilson College students.
• Parsons Paris and Paris College of ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnerships for study abroad programs allowing FTD-FD students to study fashion in Paris.
• The Nonwovens InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute focused on nonwovens technology, hosted under Wilson College of Textiles industry section.
• Fashion and Textile Business Excellence Cooperative (FTBEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative under Wilson College providing industry collaboration and business excellence resources.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Bunka Fashion College: Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo is one of Asia's leading fashion and textile educational institutions. It is a regional peer with comparable specialized curriculum in fashion and textile design, serving the Japanese and broader Asian market.
• University of Leeds - School of Design: University of Leeds School of Design hosts a well-known textile design program. As a UK-based institution, it is a regional peer — comparable in textile education focus but serving a different geographic market.

Direct peers

• Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT): FIT is a public college in New York City specializing in fashion, business, and textile-related design and technology. It is the most direct US peer to Wilson College of Textiles, offering comparable fashion, textile, and apparel programs at scale.
• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): RISD's Textiles program covers weaving, dyeing, and print/textile design. It is a direct peer in textile-focused fine arts and design education, competing for design-minded prospective students.
• Parsons School of Design: Parsons (part of The New School) is a leading design school with strong fashion and textile design programs. Wilson partners with Parsons Paris for study abroad, indicating a direct peer relationship in fashion and textile education.
• Drexel University - Westphal College of Media Arts & Design: Drexel's Westphal College offers fashion design and product design with industry co-op programs structurally similar to Wilson's industry-sponsored Senior Design model, making it a direct educational peer.
• Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD): SCAD offers fashion, fibers, and textile-focused programs within a larger art and design portfolio. As a direct peer, it competes with Wilson for design-oriented students seeking specialized creative education.
• Thomas Jefferson University (formerly Philadelphia University): Following the Philadelphia University merger, Thomas Jefferson continues textile and fashion design programs including Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce. Direct peer for textile-focused higher education.
• Kent State University - Kent State Fashion: Kent State's Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising is a public university fashion/textile program. It is a direct peer competing for similar student demographics and industry placements.

Emerging players

• Cornell University - Department of Fiber Science & Apparel Design: Cornell's College of Human Ecology houses the Fiber Science and Apparel Design program, which covers textile science, fiber chemistry, and apparel design. As an emerging peer within a larger Ivy League institution, it competes for top students interested in textile science and design.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NCStateWilson
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NCStateWilson
• Facebookfacebook.com/NCStateWilsonTextiles
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nc-state-wilson-college-of-textiles
• Instagraminstagram.com/ncstatewilson

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NC State-Wilson College of Textiles