How Carhartt and PLC Detroit Are Preparing the Next Generation of Hardworking Creatives

A student with an apparel idea needs more than a sketchbook to turn that concept into a product. The process requires workspace, professional equipment, technical knowledge, constructive feedback and an understanding of how the apparel industry operates.

Students at Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design PLC Detroit) now have additional access to those resources through the new Carhartt Apparel Lab.

PLC Detroit and Carhartt celebrated the opening of the lab with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday, Sept. 21, at the college. The partnership connects Michigan’s only HBCU and the nation’s only design-focused HBCU with a family-owned workwear company founded in Detroit in 1889.

Inside the professional studio environment, students can develop apparel and accessories concepts, create prototypes and learn how products move from an initial idea to a finished design. They can also strengthen their portfolios, receive feedback from industry professionals and become familiar with the expectations they will encounter in the workplace.

For PLC Detroit student Rohna Battle-Woodger, the lab represents a place where education and professional experience meet.

“This room at PLC Detroit is the intersection of education and the industry, with a shared purpose,” Battle-Woodger said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “It provides the next generation of designers with access to world-class resources. The opening of this room symbolizes our partnership, commitment and a new chapter for every student who enters these doors.”

That access can make a difference for emerging designers. Many students enter creative programs with talent and ideas but may have limited opportunities to work with professional equipment or connect with people already established in their chosen field.

The Carhartt Apparel Lab expands the resources available to PLC Detroit students while advancing the college’s focus on workforce empowerment. The lab connects design education with career preparation and direct industry access, giving students another environment where they can develop their skills and professional relationships.

The partnership between PLC Detroit and Carhartt began in 2022, when the company supported the college’s first industry masterclass. Carhartt design leaders have since continued to share their expertise and provide mentorship through several PLC Detroit programs.

“Carhartt has been part of PLC Detroit’s journey from the beginning, and I’m incredibly grateful for the relationship we have built,” said Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, president of PLC Detroit. “The Carhartt team believed in our vision, supported our first industry masterclass, and gave our students an opportunity to learn directly from its design leaders.”

The relationship has already helped create connections between education and employment.

“We have already seen how that access can create pathways to internships and employment,” Edwards said. “The Carhartt Apparel Lab builds on the work we started together and deepens our shared commitment to preparing Detroit’s next generation of hardworking creatives for meaningful careers.”

Ben Ewy, vice president of global product design, research and development at Carhartt, said the company wants students to develop the confidence, skills and professional connections needed to succeed.

“We’re thrilled to expand our partnership with PLC Detroit to provide a space where the next generation of creatives can develop the confidence, skills and connections needed to succeed,” Ewy said.

The ribbon-cutting celebration included remarks from Edwards and Ewy, Battle-Woodger’s student presentation and the official unveiling of the lab. Guests toured the space, viewed student work and apparel prototypes, and connected with PLC Detroit students, faculty and Carhartt associates.

The event marked the opening of a physical space, but the larger story is about what students can do inside it. They can test ideas, solve design problems, learn from professionals and begin building the portfolios and relationships that can support their careers.

The lab also reflects Detroit’s long connection to manufacturing, design and products made to serve a purpose. Carhartt built its reputation in the city by creating durable workwear. PLC Detroit is preparing emerging designers to bring their own ideas, perspectives and skills into the apparel industry.

For students, professional access should not begin after graduation. It can be part of their education, giving them a clearer understanding of the industry and the confidence to see themselves working in it.

The Carhartt Apparel Lab gives PLC Detroit’s next generation of hardworking creatives another place to learn, create and take their ideas from concept to completion.