CLOTHING

According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, there are 1085 textile-manufacturing plants in Canada, with 40% of their production going to the 2465 plants that make clothes and linens. The textile and clothing industries together are among the largest manufacturers in Canada, employing over 170,000 citizens. But in the Northern Territories the production of clothes and linens is only done on a small scale. Even several Inuit designers living in the North have to rely on facilities in Alberta, Quebec, or Ontario to make their garments.

We want to offer the opportunity to communities of the North to build garment factories and even textile mills if the community is interested. If interested, we would work with local leaders and with current clothing makers to determine the scale and capabilities needed for the facility.

The development of the facility will be completely collaborative. The charity will merely provide the funds and the certified craft to perform the construction. As with our other projects, local residents will be offered apprenticeships, both in the construction and maintenance of the facility. Once operational we will work with existing facilities and with our new facility to facilitate training of a local workforce to make the garments.

To completely eliminate clothing insecurity, the communities must be able to make their own garments, rather than relying on long and expensive shipments. As the communities of the North are growing rapidly, having this manufacturing capability will ensure the community can meet its own needs for generations to come and have a real industry, providing numerous career opportunities.