Wilson College joins forces with renowned culinary expert Stephen Satterfield from "High on the Hog" in a fresh, comprehensive collaboration
Stephen Satterfield Launches Comoco, a Black-Owned and North Carolina-Grown Textile Line
Stephen Satterfield's latest venture, Comoco, is a groundbreaking apparel line that sources and produces its supply chain entirely within North Carolina. This ambitious project, three-and-a-half years in the making, aims to reclaim African American-grown cotton in the textiles industry and has been significantly aided by NC State University's Wilson College of Textiles.
Satterfield, with his unique background in the food and wine industries, offers a fresh perspective on the textiles sector. His inspiration for Comoco came during the filming of his Netflix docuseries "High on the Hog," where he envisioned a Black-owned and North Carolina-based textile supply chain grounded in the state's cotton industry.
The Wilson College of Textiles played a pivotal role in realizing this vision. They helped Satterfield source, mill, and produce cotton and textile materials locally, enabling Comoco to offer high-quality, undyed cotton garments grown by Black farmers and produced entirely in North Carolina. This approach positions the apparel line as an empowered reimagining of a painful historical legacy into a new economic opportunity.
Melissa Sharp, the associate director at the Wilson College, was among the first to connect with Satterfield. The partnership expanded Satterfield's personal network, and he served as the guest judge for the college's annual entrepreneurship competition, Pitch to the Pack. During a fireside chat hosted by Friends of the Libraries, Satterfield shared his vision for applying the "farm-to-table" concept to the textiles industry.
The Textile Innovation Engine, a key component of the Wilson College, is amplifying important work to strengthen North Carolina's textiles sector through videos and multimedia productions. They have also updated curricula at over 100 high schools across North Carolina to prepare the next generation of textiles professionals.
Satterfield's Whetstone Media company is collaborating with the Textile Innovation Engine in North Carolina. The W. Duke Kimbrell Flex Factory's Prototype Lab even printed Comoco's startup's logo on a garment.
Looking forward, Satterfield hopes that Comoco will serve as a launching pad for a new kind of textiles business and for a continued partnership with the Wilson College of Textiles. In his role as the 2025 John W. Pope Industrialist in Residence, Satterfield provides a forum for students and faculty to interface with global industry and government executives.
With its roots deeply entwined with North Carolina's rich textile history, Comoco represents a significant step towards racial consciousness and economic empowerment in the textiles industry. The apparel line's launch on Juneteenth reflects its connection to Black empowerment and heritage.
[1] NC State News [2] Wilson College of Textiles
- Stephen Satterfield's new textile line, Comoco, sources and manufactures its entire supply chain within North Carolina, including aid from the Wilson College of Textiles.
- In his unique venture, Satterfield aims to reclaim African American-grown cotton in the textiles industry and has been aided by NC State University's Wilson College of Textiles.
- The Wilson College of Textiles helped Satterfield source, mill, and produce cotton and textile materials locally, contributing to high-quality, undyed cotton garments.
- Satterfield's partnership with the Wilson College expanded his personal network, and he served as the guest judge for the college's annual entrepreneurship competition.
- The Textile Innovation Engine, a component of the Wilson College, is furthering important work to strengthen North Carolina's textiles sector through educational materials and curricula updates at over 100 high schools.
- Satterfield's Whetstone Media company collaborates with the Textile Innovation Engine in North Carolina, striking production deals, such as printing Comoco's startup logo on a garment.
- Satterfield, in his role as the 2025 John W. Pope Industrialist in Residence, aims to foster a continued partnership with the Wilson College of Textiles, promoting entrepreneurship and business opportunities in the textiles industry.
