What The Industrial Commons does

The Industrial Commons (TIC) is a nonprofit community development organization founded in 2015 and headquartered in Morganton, North Carolina. It focuses on founding and scaling employee-owned manufacturing cooperatives — primarily in textile and furniture — alongside workforce development, business advisory, and community engagement services targeting rural western North Carolina. Since inception, TIC reports training 5,039 workers, supporting 577 businesses, and generating $95.5M in cumulative assets and revenue across its ecosystem, with 70.84 acres currently in development including a flagship 27.87-acre brownfield Innovation Campus.

The organization delivers its work through four core program areas (Business Development, Network Development, Workforce Development, and Community Engagement) and operates eight wholly-owned sub-brands: Carolina Textile District (textile industry network), TOSS/The Open Studio Space (public art and creative education), Work In Burke (workforce connections), Good Books (bookkeeping and translation services), Material Return (circular economy and textile recovery), Power of the Commons (cooperative ecosystem platform), Hometown Walkabout (cultural diversity tours), and Create the Collection (sewn goods training). It is led by Senior Director of Community Engagement Dr. Leslie McKesson and Director of Workforce Development Shana Harrison, with leadership drawn from factory-floor experience.

TIC is funded primarily through grants, donations, and program-related fees rather than equity capital — no funding rounds are disclosed. Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on direct engagement, cultural programming, and partner referrals rather than traditional sales channels. Geographically, operations are concentrated in Burke County and western North Carolina, with no stated national or international footprint.

Name

The Industrial Commons

Legal name

The Industrial Commons

Website

https://theindustrialcommons.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Industrial Commons is a Morganton, NC-based nonprofit that founds and scales employee-owned manufacturing cooperatives, delivers workforce training, and supports small textile and furniture firms across western North Carolina through multiple community development programs and sub-brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Economic Development

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Inclusive Employment (Job Training, Placement) (BPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN), Employer-Led Workforce Partnerships & Sector Strategies (EDAAAOAB)

Keywords

• Cooperative enterprise development
• Workforce development programs
• Textile manufacturing support
• Community economic development
• Employee-owned cooperatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Morganton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Community Development Services: Revenue generated through workforce development programs, business consulting services, and community engagement activities supporting cooperative enterprises.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Industrial Commons founds and scales employee-owned manufacturing cooperatives and provides community-based programs in business development, workforce development, network development, and community engagement. Core services support small to mid-sized textile and furniture firms through cooperative enterprise formation, skilled trades training, regional industry partnerships, and physical incubation infrastructure via the Innovation Campus.

Product overview

The Industrial Commons operates as a community development organization rather than a technology company. Its portfolio consists of community programs organized around four core areas: Business Development (supporting cooperative enterprise creation), Network Development (building regional industry partnerships), Workforce Development (training and professional development), and Community Engagement (cultural programs). The organization also manages several sub-brands including Carolina Textile District (textile industry support), Material Return (circular economy services), Good Books (bookkeeping and translation), TOSS (arts education), and Work In Burke (workforce connections). Key infrastructure includes the Innovation Campus, a 27.87-acre redevelopment project for manufacturing enterprises. These programs and initiatives work together to rebuild a diverse working class through locally-rooted wealth creation, with a focus on textile and furniture manufacturing in western North Carolina.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carolina Textile District (CTD): Textile industry network and cooperative development program connecting manufacturers and workers in the textile sector.
• TOSS (The Open Studio Space)
• WorkInBurke
• GoodBooksNC
• The Material Return
• Power of the Commons
• Hometown Walkabout
• Innovation Campus

Products and services

• Business Development Assists in developing community-owned manufacturing enterprises and programs that address business resiliency, worker agency, and environmental issues. Designed for small to mid-sized textile and furniture firms seeking cooperative ownership structures.
• Network Development Builds and supports networks of cooperative enterprises and industry partnerships to foster collaboration across the regional manufacturing ecosystem.
• Workforce Development Provides training and professional development programs for workers, including skilled training in manufacturing and values-based workforce preparation.
• Community Engagement Facilitates authentic interaction with diverse community groups through place-based experiences, cultural learning tours, and ongoing community conversations.
• Innovation Campus A 27.87-acre brownfield redevelopment project transforming a former factory site into a hub for small to mid-sized textile and furniture enterprises, featuring manufacturing, training, incubation, and business support facilities.
• Hometown Walkabout A place-based cultural diversity awareness program offering tours and facilitated conversations that present, promote, and celebrate local communities in Burke County, NC.
• Carolina Textile District A regional initiative supporting the textile manufacturing industry through membership, training, and collaborative business development across the Carolinas.
• Material Return Provides circular economy services including material recycling, textile recovery, and custom circular products and yarn for sustainable manufacturing.
• Good Books Offers bookkeeping services with language justice translation capabilities for cooperative businesses and community organizations.
• TOSS (The Open Studio & School) Provides public art programming, artist residencies, and creative education services including OPENstudio and camps for all ages.
• Work In Burke Connects local workers with employment opportunities and provides industry partnership programs for workforce engagement.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Carolina Textile District (CTD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative ecosystem partner focused on textile industry development. CTD provides membership, networking, and industry-specific support for textile manufacturers in the region.
• TOSS (The OPENstudio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative arts organization collaborating on public art programs, artist residencies, and cultural community engagement. Co-developed Hometown Walkabout cultural tour program.
• Work in BurkecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce development partner providing student cohorts, industry partnerships, and career pathway programs for local workers and employers.
• Material ReturnsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCircular economy services partner providing ReturnTex customized circular products and yarn, and circular services for sustainable manufacturing.
• Good BookssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial services partner providing bookkeeping and translation services to support cooperative businesses.
• SELECT 2000supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in developing Hometown Walkabout cultural diversity program in Burke County.
• Power of the CommonssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative ecosystem organization focused on collaboration across cooperative ecosystems.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Working World: Nonprofit that finances and incubates worker cooperatives in distressed U.S. and international communities. Comparable cooperative-development model with patient, non-extractive capital approach similar to TIC.
• Project Equity: National nonprofit that converts existing businesses to employee ownership and supports cooperative development. Directly comparable to TIC's cooperative-formation and business-development mission, with a broader geographic footprint.
• Cooperation Jackson: Mississippi-based network developing worker-owned cooperatives in a low-income, predominantly Black community. Closely aligned mission of building locally-rooted wealth through cooperatives and community ownership.
• Democracy at Work Institute: Cooperative development and training organization supporting worker cooperative conversions and ecosystem building. Comparable focus on cooperative business services and workforce education.

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): Large national CDFI supporting community development, workforce, and small business programs across rural and urban America. Comparable mission of building community wealth, with much broader scale and capital base.
• Appalachian Regional Commission: Federal economic development agency targeting the Appalachian region, including western North Carolina. Comparable geographic focus on place-based economic and workforce development in distressed Appalachian communities.
• Mondragon International Center for Cooperative Excellence: Global benchmark for cooperative enterprise development, education, and inter-cooperative collaboration. Informs the cooperative model TIC replicates, but operates at vastly greater scale.

Emerging players

• Just Transition Fund: Philanthropic fund supporting community-led transitions away from fossil fuels and declining industries, with overlap in workforce and small-business support for manufacturing communities.

Others

• Carolina Textile District (subsidiary context): Wholly owned subsidiary of TIC, provided here as an internal reference point for the textile-industry-specific cooperative network TIC built.
• Burke County NC Government Economic Development: Local government economic-development counterpart operating in the same Burke County, NC geography. Comparable target audience (small/mid-sized textile and furniture firms) and shared workforce development goals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheIndustrialCommons
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-industrial-commons

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 The Industrial Commons