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A Quick Guide to Going Green | Sustainable Fabrics Made in North Carolina

One of the most important issues facing the North Carolina Textile Industry, and manufacturing as a whole, is the impact our facilities have on the environment. If you’re a North Carolina resident, you know about the problems pollution creates for our river systems. For decades farm and manufacturing runoff has caused major issues with the quality of our drinking water, especially in our coastal communities. The proof is in the high levels of GenX and other harmful chemicals found in the Cape Fear River Basin, where all of our river systems find their way to the ocean. As you can see in the picture below, pollutants can enter our waters in several ways.

STI Fabrics has set the industry standard for sustainable fabrics with our Revolution Brand Performance Fabrics. In 2014 STI Fabrics introduced the industry’s first chemical-free, up-cycled, environmentally friendly, stain-resistant performance fabric. This fabric has inspired change in the American textile industry over the last several years, which is shown by other companies following in our footsteps. We'll take a look at some of the reasons STI Fabrics is one of the most sustainable manufacturers in American textiles.

1) We Don't Use Harmful Chemicals

What separates STI from most other fabric manufacturers, is the fact that we do not use any PFC Chemicals in our manufacturing process. PFC chemicals are used by other performance fabric brands to achieve a certain level of cleanability. If water beads on a fabric, it has probably been treated with a PFC. These substances, also known as PFOA, PFAS, and PFOS, bond Carbon with Fluorine. This bond is one of the strongest single bonds in chemistry and that’s why they work. The problem is they accumulate in the environment, and growing evidence suggests that they are even more toxic than scientists previously thought.

2) We Use Up-Cycled Materials

Instead of using these harsh chemicals, we use up-cycled polypropylene, also known as Olefin. Olefin is a byproduct of refining petroleum. For many years, it was discarded or simply burned off. In 1963, the Nobel Prize for Chemistry was won by the scientists who discovered a use for this unique polymer. All Revolution Fabrics are made from 100% pre-consumer petroleum byproducts. According to the Higg Index below, because polypropylene is produced from former waste, it has the smallest carbon footprint of any upholstery fiber.

Polypropylene scores the highest on the Higg Index

In fact, polypropylene scores the highest on the Higg Index with a score of 36.1 due to the fact that it uses little land, water, or energy and produces very little waste. For reference, silk comes in second on the index with a score of 30.7. It scores high for sustainability, but silk production emits high levels of greenhouse gasses.

Cotton comes in third with a score of 26.8. Cotton takes a hit for heavy use of land and water, bleaches, and other chemicals used in processing, which puts it in middling rank despite its green reputation. Wool and Bamboo score even lower due to the fact that they require even more resources and heavier processing due to the scratchy fibers.

You might not necessarily picture a green product when you think of synthetic material. But as demonstrated by the Higg Index, you can see that many fibers billed as green take up loads of environmental resources like land, water, and energy while using harsh chemicals in the processing of those fibers.

3) We Use Fewer Resources

Historically, the textile industry has used massive amounts of water in the dying process. At STI Fabrics we are committed to using water-free dying techniques. Our dying comes from melting natural pigments into our polypropylene pellets to create the yarn. We then source that yarn within 300 miles of our manufacturing facility.

Less water use has had a profound impact on the environment. For reference, one kilo of cotton yarn requires an average of 6,000 gallons of water. Keeping that number in mind, the average sofa uses around 15 yards of fabric, and 15 yards of Revolution fabric weighs just over 8 kilos or 18 pounds. Simply put, if you purchase a sofa made with our Revolution fabric, you just saved the environment over 48,000 gallons of water. With Brentwood Textiles, STI, and Revolution Fabrics’ continued growth, you can see how this positive environmental impact will continue to grow with us.

What Next?

In 2021 California passed legislation to begin banning the use of PFC chemicals in manufacturing processes. With this trend expected to continue, other manufacturers are scrambling to incorporate PFC-free alternatives like polypropylene in their manufacturing processes. STI Fabrics has positioned itself as the leader in creating environmentally friendly, chemical-free performance fabrics. We are also proudly Greenguard Gold Certified and a leading member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council.

Community Outreach | Prison to Community Simulation

STI Fabrics has been an integral part of the Kings Mountain, NC, community for nearly 6 decades. As the business grows, our impact on the community grows with it, and we are determined to make that impact a positive one for generations to come. Our latest Community Outreach Initiative has been highlighted by our involvement with Gaston County Corrections and their Work Release Program.

Since the start of the partnership in 2019, about 40 inmates have come to work at our plant, weaving and warping yarn, cleaning facilities, preparing the fabric, and performing other duties needed around the business. The program's success is due in large part to our existing workforce giving it a chance to grow.

Work Release by the Numbers

Of the 30 inmates sent to work at STI in the last year, 12 are still employed through the Work Release Program, 18 have been released and returned to their homes, and 10 have come back to work full time at the plant. 56% of work-released inmates come back to work at STI. A recent study by Northwestern University found that employees with records had a 13% lower turnover rate, saving the company $1,000 per year for each hired inmate and increasing our overall retention rate.

Challenges Upon Re-entry

Kevin Young, one of the first inmates to work at STI in 2019, returned to the plant last year after leaving prison, in part due to the relationships he made with our HR team and his co-workers.
Life in prison is extremely difficult but getting out also brings challenges. In 2020 the N.C. Department of Public Corrections nixed a program that allowed inmates to get an ID while in prison. This has left many offenders in a catch-22 when trying to find a place to live or a way to work.

Update:

Kevin has secured a license, a car, and permanent housing in Kings Mountain thanks to a relationship built between Sandra and a local property owner.
This would not be successful without these types of community partners.

Since our involvement with the Work Release Program, STI has become hyperaware of these issues and has sponsored and supported causes related to solving the problems facing re-entry. One of those causes has been a newly added men’s shelter in Shelby, NC. We recently donated $1000 to Trailhead Men’s Shelter and equipped them with the furniture they need to house and help men in Cleveland County get back on their feet.

Cleveland Community College has been instrumental in providing a facility to educate offenders.

Although several local correctional facilities do not offer a work-release program, they do offer educational programs through higher learning. Cleveland Community College has been instrumental in providing a facility to educate those offenders. They recently inherited a prison that closed in 2008 on adjacent property and repurposed it into an educational facility for offenders.

More often than not, many offenders who have completed their courses have already acquired trade skills and the education needed to perform the jobs we are hiring for while in jail or prison. By establishing these relationships in the community, STI is seeking to create a pipeline of qualified individuals looking to begin a career in textile manufacturing upon their release.

Prison to Community Simulation

Last week, STI Fabrics sponsored an event dedicated to bringing awareness to the problems surrounding re-entry in Shelby, North Carolina. We teamed up with Officer Jennell McCorkle who runs a Prison 2 Community (P2C) Simulation titled, "In Their Shoes."

For an in-depth recap of the event, visit EdNC's article by clicking here.

The simulation is designed to show the general public how difficult it is to navigate society upon release from jail or prison. In this simulation, you are assigned a new identity and given different paths to take upon your release from prison.

This initiative has a positive impact on STI by creating a pipeline of qualified job candidates but also has a profound impact on our surrounding communities by providing jobs to people who previously may not have been hired due to social stigmas. These jobs create an opportunity to pay taxes and child support while creating a residual economic impact on surrounding area businesses.

5 Heart-Healthy Activities Within 10 Minutes of STI Fabrics

February is American Heart Health Month and with the current Covid crisis, there has never been a better time to focus on your physical well-being. Common causes of heart disease include,

There are no magic pills you can take to avoid heart disease. Simple habits like eating healthy foods and exercising daily can improve your heart health. At STI, we understand the importance of a healthy work/life balance. That’s why we want to highlight some healthy benefits of living and working at STI Fabrics in King’s Mountain, North Carolina.

1) Boulder Access at Crowders Mountain State Park

Only a 10-minute drive from STI Fabrics, our employees can quickly access one of the most underrated state parks this side of the Mississippi River- Crowders Mountain State Park.

After a long day of work, there’s no healthier way to unwind than to hit the trail for a run/hike or a climb.

2) Kings Mountain YMCA

Our very own fabric designer Glen Read has a membership to the Kings Mountain YMCA.

“It’s nice to have a gym so close to work. If I missed my morning workout and want to hit the gym on my lunch break or after work, the Y is always there- it’s also nice that STI employees receive 10% off their membership.”

3) Kings Mountain Gateway Trail

Another beautiful running and walking trail is the historic Kings Mountain Gateway Trail.

4) Pinnacle Trail Hike

The gateway trail is nice, but for those runners and hikers seeking more elevation, the trail to the top of King’s Pinnacle will make you feel the burn.

5) Disc Golf at East Gold Street Wesleyan Church

Within walking distance from STI is East Gold Street Wesleyan Church. Pastor Scott Whitney offers FREE disc golf open to the general public and the Kings Mountain Community.

STI Fabrics | Employee Assistance Program

At STI, we understand that life happens and that there are many different stressors in the world right now. If you feel like any of those stressors are impacting your life in a negative way, then this information is for you.

STI Fabrics Employee Assistance Program

STI has an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) managed by New Directions. They can help you with:

New Directions

New Directions is available 24/7, even on holidays. Services are free of charge.

You can contact them at: www.ndbh.com or at (800) 624-5544.

The Textile Industry

1) Quick Facts about Textile Jobs in North Carolina

The textile industry is one of the largest industries in the United States. According to the National Council of Textile Organizations or NCTO, in 2020 it employed about 529,600 people. Most mills manufacture clothing, but many produce household linens such as towels, sheets, and in STI's case, fabrics for residential use.

2) Textile Job Education and Requirements

Nearly all production jobs in the textile industry can be learned in a few weeks to several months. Employers generally prefer to hire folks that have a high school diploma.

3) Getting the Textile Job

The best way to get started in a production job in the textile industry is by applying directly to textile mills. Your state employment office may know of job openings.

4) Textile Job Advancement and Employment Outlook

There are so many opportunities and paths for career growth within the textile industry. Production workers can advance by becoming supervisors and some become instructors who teach new workers.

5) Textile Job Working Conditions

Working conditions are generally good in the textile industry. Most employees work with machinery, which is often noisy, but the accident rate is fairly low in this industry.

A Message From Our HR Department

For more info on starting your new career with STI or to apply for employment, please visit our Career Page.

[Career Page](/content/pages/careers "Career Page"/index.html)

Welcome to Our Mill

Our Mill is where you will find up to date news about all things STI. We will be compiling loads of interesting content related to the textile industry and the people responsible for making our beautiful performance fabrics in Kings Mountain, NC.