U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito Praises PATTERN Facility and Economic Innovation at Ribbon Cutting and Open House in Beckley

Beckley, W.Va. (November 7, 2024) – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito offered high praise today for the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority’s (NRGRDA) new textile training and manufacturing facility set to become the future home of PATTERN, located at 412 City Avenue in Beckley.

“The establishment of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve has resulted in a boost in visitors from all over, leading to great potential to fill voids in the outdoor textiles prototyping industry here in West Virginia. As a leader on the Appropriations Committee, I was proud to advocate for the support needed to establish this lab in southern West Virginia, and it was great to see the progress firsthand in-person. This type of collaboration is critical to moving our state forward and strengthening our business climate, and I can’t wait to see what it does for local businesses when it is fully up and running,” Senator Capito said.

Jina Belcher, NRGRDA’s executive director thanked the Senator for her leadership and funding of the project, which aims to leverage West Virginia’s knowledge of the outdoor industry, heritage, and craftsmanship to create and expand textile manufacturing opportunities in Southern West Virginia.

“The New River Gorge is anxious for a full opening of the PATTERN facility in Summer 2025,” said Belcher. “Senator Capito and her staff embraced this project from its inception and led efforts to secure federal funding for this game-changing economic development initiative. We are blessed in the New River Gorge region and statewide to have Senator Capito on our team”.

Judy Moore, deputy director of NRGRDA and executive director of the West Virginia Hive, which focuses on supporting small business creation and growth, said “PATTERN will support assets within the region’s rural and coal-impacted communities, including talented and resourceful entrepreneurs, university faculty and students, skilled workforce, industry heritage, natural and cultural resources, and more, to advance the textile manufacturing sector.”

Moore said NRGRDA and WV Hive staff have been working in tandem with established and successful textile organizations in West Virginia, North Carolina, and beyond to prepare this initiative to develop and sustain a ready workforce, invest in manufacturing and entrepreneurship resources, and increase capacity for economic growth.

Partners on the PATTERN project include:

• Development and Implementation Partners:
  • Libby O’Bryan, Sew Co., Asheville, N.C.
  • Emily Rouse, Edgington Studio, Wheeling, W.Va.
• Training Partners:
  • Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center (ISAIC), Detroit, Mich.
  • Tsuga, Boone, N.C.

Belcher added that the success of this project will be measured by quantifying new job creation, new capital investment, new businesses created, technical assistance deployed, and an increase in locally made products. Most notably, the project will also leverage the redesignation of the New River Gorge National River to a National Park and Preserve.

PATTERN will accelerate the textile industry through the following primary strategic objectives:

• Textile Innovation Space
• Entrepreneurship and Business Support
• Provide Space to Locate Manufacturing Expansion
• Workforce Development

Capito, Belcher and Moore cut the ribbon for the PATTERN facility, along with consultant, Emily Rouse, and invited the public inside to explore its features and future offerings.

About New River Gorge Regional Development Authority: The New River Gorge Regional Development Authority’s (NRGRDA) mission is to initiate, facilitate and support the economic and community development efforts within the counties of Fayette, Nicholas, Raleigh, and Summers. More can be found at https://nrgrda.org/

The West Virginia Hive – NRGRDA’s entrepreneurial arm – offers professional technical assistance for new and existing business owners throughout a 13-county region of southern West Virginia. Learn more at wvhive.com