Carhartt, Dearborn, Mich., partnered with the Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center (ISAIC), Detroit, by dedicating the third floor of its Cass Avenue retail location to the organization.
The company also is making an in-kind apparel-manufacturing equipment donation to help support the organization’s launch plans.
The relationship between Carhartt and ISAIC is the result of their shared vision; both have a desire to support the hardest-working people in America, a mutual passion for Detroit and a commitment to workforce and skilled trade development, according to the organizations.
“At Carhartt, we believe Detroiters are some of the hardest-working, resilient, resourceful people on the planet,” says Tony Ambroza, chief brand officer at Carhartt. “We couldn’t agree more with ISAIC — this is the right time and place to build and grow the apparel industry.”
ISAIC will transform the donated space into a national center of excellence for sewn trades, provide ongoing apprenticeships and establish a worker-owned, pilot apparel-manufacturing facility in the coming months.
“Detroit always has been a place where things are made and we are seeing increasing interest in Detroit as a center for the apparel-manufacturing industry,” says Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “I am deeply appreciative to Carhartt and ISAIC for their efforts to train Detroiters for the jobs we expect to become available in our city in the garment-manufacturing industry.” — D.S.
