Discover NC Textile Hemp

Learn how stakeholders across the value chain are responding to challenges and planning for the future of textile hemp, including clean processing chemistry.

Tour textile research facilities, hemp fields, and hemp processing facilities.

Connect with leaders across research, agriculture, and industry.

Discover NC Textile Hemp includes four events on August 6-7, 2026, following Tech Textil North America. You can read more about each event in the agenda section below.

On August 6th

• Keynote speaker and value chain panel | Wilson College of Textiles
• Networking happy hour | Wilson College of Textiles
• Textiles Facilities tours| Wilson College of Textiles
  

On August 7th

• Field and Processing Facility Tours | Cherry Research Farm, Goldsboro | Biophil Natural Fibers, Lumberton (transportation included in cost)

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Info: Discover the future of textile hemp through a keynote and panel connecting the full value chain. Satish Hodage of YUJ Labs will open with a keynote on his pioneering work in clean processing and finishing of hemp fibers, highlighting how innovation is advancing performance and sustainability. Anne Wiper of the Textile Innovation Engine will then moderate a panel featuring leaders from across the ecosystem—from growers and processors to product developers and brands—exploring how North Carolina is building a pipeline from farm to finished goods. The discussion will address key challenges in scaling textile hemp, including supply chain gaps and processing limitations, while showcasing how collaboration, science, and technology are helping bridge them. Hear diverse perspectives, learn what progress has been made, and explore what’s next for textile hemp in North Carolina and beyond.

Info: Explore Wilson College's Testing and Fabrication facilities, where innovation meets application. These labs provide critical capabilities in textile testing, prototyping, and product development, supporting the advancement of new materials like hemp from concept to performance validation.

Visit the Nonwovens Institute’s Staple Nonwovens Lab, a leading facility for fiber-based material development and processing. This lab showcases how staple fibers, including hemp, can be engineered into nonwoven structures for diverse applications.

Tour The Textile Protection and Comfort Center (TPACC), a globally recognized leader in performance testing for protective and technical textiles. This visit includes Pyroman, a full-scale burn injury prediction system used to evaluate garment performance under real-world thermal exposure."

Info: Join us for a networking happy hour, for a chance to build on the groundwork from TechTextile and insights from the keynote and panel with quick connections and follow-up conversations to turn ideas into actionable next steps. Drinks and light appetizers are included in the cost of attendance.

Info: Join us for a day trip that will take us throughout the state of NC to get a glimpse of hemp's journey in North Carolina from field to processing. Beginning at Cherry Research Station in Goldsboro, NC, we will see hemp growing under real agronomic conditions, learn about planting, crop management, and harvest practices, and see plots and trials that inform sustainable, scalable fiber production. Next, we will tour BIOPHIL’s processing facility in Lumberton, NC to watch decortication, fiber cleaning, and initial conversion steps that turn harvested stalks into usable hemp fiber; learn about their R&D, quality controls, and work connecting supply to textile manufacturers. Transportation and lunch are included in the price of attendance.

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Host or Publisher NC State University: Wilson College of Textiles