TEXTILES.ORG
The Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center (ISAIC), a Detroit, Mich.-based nonprofit and national resource for textile and apparel manufacturing, has announced a partnership with TUKATECH, a global fashion technology solutions provider, to launch a TUKAcenter in Detroit.
The TUKAcenter will provide brands, designers and entrepreneurs access to leading digital tools and expertise, creating new opportunities for product development and apparel manufacturing in Detroit. By lowering barriers for startups and growing brands and expanding our support for major national companies, the TUKAcenter will strengthen Detroit’s apparel ecosystem and attract new business to the region.
The partnership coincides with ISAIC’s move to its new headquarters at the College for Creative Studies’ A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education. More than twice the size of ISAIC’s previous facility, the expanded space will allow the organization to increase production, serve more community members, host additional training and innovation programs, and further strengthen its role as a national hub for advanced manufacturing, skilling and workplace culture in the textile and apparel industry.
“ISAIC is about delivering advanced, transformative, and integrated solutions for advanced manufacturing and training for the apparel and textile industry,” says Jennifer Guarino, president, CEO and co-founder of ISAIC. “In our new space, we have more room to demonstrate our new technologies. We are really excited to have this operating out of our headquarters so that we can both demonstrate this to the industry broadly and bring it to the local community of Detroiters.”
ISAIC carefully evaluated technologies that could support its long-term vision of connecting education, product development, and manufacturing into a unified ecosystem. TUKATECH was selected for its fully integrated platform, combining digital product development software with manufacturing technologies that bridge the gap between design and production.
Since launching the first TUKAcenter in 2002, TUKATECH has established a global network of centers providing access to industry-leading apparel design, pattern engineering, product development, marker making and manufacturing technologies. These centers enable independent designers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, educational institutions and product development professionals to access world-class technology and expertise without the significant capital investment typically required to build those capabilities internally.
“ISAIC has demonstrated that workforce development, digital product creation, and advanced manufacturing can thrive together in one integrated environment,” says Ram Sareen, chairman and founder of TUKATECH. “We are honored that ISAIC selected TUKATECH as the technology platform supporting this next phase of growth. This expansion creates a state-of-the-art Micro Factory capable of producing virtually anything in the soft goods category — from military uniforms to swimwear, innerwear to outerwear, and products for home interiors, automotive, and aerospace applications.”
Watch an interview with Guarino and Sareen here where they talk about the shared vision behind the TUKAcenter.