Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Henry.
Hi Eric, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Eric Henry is on a mission to revolutionize the apparel industry for the good of people and the planet. As CEO of TS Designs in Burlington, NC, he leads a company dedicated to producing high-quality printed apparel made through a transparent, trackable, and entirely domestic supply chain.
TS Designs has been in business for over 40 years, and Eric has witnessed the industry’s shift from a largely domestic operation to one where over 97% of clothing is now produced overseas, primarily from synthetic, fossil-fuel-based materials. He remains dedicated to building a more sustainable and equitable future for apparel.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
With the passing of NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) in 1994, Eric Henry witnessed most U.S. apparel manufacturers move their operations overseas or go out of business. Instead of closing their doors, Eric and his then-partner chose a triple bottom line business model focused on People, Planet, and Profit, aligning with their core values.
During this time, they developed an eco-friendly, water-based screen printing process, REHANCE™, and launched the Cotton of the Carolinas line of t-shirts, buying cotton directly from farmers and sourcing every step of the supply chain within the Carolinas.
Today, the challenges we face include maintaining our domestic supply chains, as many US manufacturers continue to close, and reaching businesses and organizations that value sustainability over simply finding the cheapest shirts available.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Always made in the USA, TS Designs produces premium printed apparel through a transparent, domestic supply chain. On our journey toward circularity, we champion natural fibers and dyes to help reduce microplastics in the environment.
Our innovations include REHANCE, our eco-friendly, water-based screen-printing process that delivers a super-soft, no-print feel. We also champion Garment Dyeing, a process that dyes clothing after construction to create vintage softness, ensure garments are fully preshrunk, and minimize excess inventory. In our ongoing R&D, we’re advancing the use of natural fibers and natural dyes, helping reduce microplastics and promote circularity in apparel. And our Dirt to Shirt tee is 100% grown and made in North Carolina, featuring a fully trackable supply chain at WhereYourClothing.com.
From process to product, we’re committed to making a positive impact on people, the planet, and the apparel industry. This is a t-shirt you can feel good about wearing!
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
We have had good and bad luck. It was bad luck for us when US manufacturing moved out of the country after NAFTA was passed in the mid-90s. It hit us hard, but it also helped us determine our path to sustainability much quicker and forced us to make hard decisions to make a better company and a better product.
Eric feels extremely fortunate to live and be connected to people in our local community for over 60 years.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tsdesigns.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tsdesignsnc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSDesignsNC
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tsdesignsnc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tsdesigns
