An Ohio Nonprofit Fashions a New Future for Columbus’ Creative Economy August 20, 2026

When most people picture the epicenter of America’s fashion industry, they’re imagining runways in New York City and sun-drenched design districts in Los Angeles. Yet quietly thriving as a hub for fashion is Columbus, Ohio, which is home to retail giants like Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch, and DSW that help the Midwest city boast the third-highest concentration of fashion designers in the country. Despite this, however, pathways into the lucrative fashion ecosystem have historically been inaccessible to independent creators in the region, especially those from under-resourced communities.

The Columbus Fashion Alliance (CFA) was co-founded in 2019 to change that, with the nonprofit’s mission focused on creating pathways into the industry for emerging designers, students, retail leaders, and entrepreneurs. CFA accomplishes this by offering educational resources, hosting fashion-centric internship opportunities, equipping members with industrial-grade tools, organizing events like pop-up sales, and providing guidance to program participants to help them launch and scale their fashion-based businesses.

Led by co-founder and executive director Yohannan Terrell—a civic leader with diverse career experience spanning digital media, marketing and branding, civic service, and now nonprofit leadership—CFA’s capacity to serve as an incubator for fledgling businesses and aspiring fashion professionals is increasing exponentially with the organization’s development of The Loom, a 43,000-square-foot facility nestled in the heart of Columbus, Ohio. The move marks a significant expansion for CFA, which operated previously in a space less than half the size of The Loom at Columbus’ Idea Foundry, a shared coworking and makerspace.

“Columbus Fashion Alliance was built to create access for designers and creatives who have the talent but not the resources,” says Terrell. “The Loom is the physical expression of that mission. It’s a place where education, workforce training, and entrepreneurship come together to grow the next generation of fashion businesses in Columbus. The Loom is more than a building. It’s infrastructure for a creative economy. By owning our space, we’re putting down roots in downtown Columbus and ensuring that fashion creators have a permanent hub where culture, innovation, and community can thrive together.”

Built in 1925 as a linen factory and later used as the Columbus College of Art & Design’s (CCAD) fine arts building, The Loom building is being transformed by CFA through several phases of renovations to serve as a centralized hub for education, brand development, retail innovation, and community engagement. Once completed, the fully renovated facility will feature expanded classrooms, creative studios, co-working and event space, and state-of-the-art production labs equipped with industrial-grade sewing and manufacturing equipment.

To support CFA’s acquisition of The Loom, IFF provided the organization with a $2.9 million loan. Additional sources of funding tapped by CFA for the acquisition and renovation of the property include a Franklin County grant, a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and City of Columbus appropriation, and agency equity. In addition to enabling the expansion of CFA’s programs, owning The Loom will provide CFA with a new source of revenue as the organization leases space in the facility to up to 19 tenants. In keeping with CFA’s goal to ensure The Loom is accessible to fashion professionals who have faced barriers in the industry, space in the building will be leased to tenants at below market rate, most of which are expected to be BIPOC-led businesses.

Among the organizations that will benefit from high-quality space in the creative incubator is Salted Basics, a comprehensive “one-stop shop” providing independent fashion brands with end-to-end services encompassing strategy, development, design, packaging, micro-manufacturing, textile sourcing, and final delivery logistics. Elsewhere in The Loom, the Phoenix Rising Printmaking Collaborative will have space to offer specialized workshops, classes, and guest artist presentations, while running active community outreach programs that teach printmaking techniques across public and private schools, art groups, colleges, and artist residencies.

Through The Loom, CFA will also be able to deepen its connections with academic partners in the area, part of the organization’s strategy to cultivate a thriving community of creativity in the building. With CCAD’s nationally recognized fashion design program located next door, students and emerging designers will have increased access to mentorship, professional resources, and entrepreneurial opportunities.

“Columbus has long been a city where fashion thrives, and this collaboration represents the next chapter in building the region’s reputation as a fashion destination,” states Dr. Melanie Corn, president of Columbus College of Art & Design. “By joining forces with CFA, we’re expanding access to resources and mentorship while making Columbus an even more attractive place for aspiring designers and creative professionals to launch their careers.”

In addition to CCAD, Columbus City Schools will bring high school students directly into a live commercial environment at The Loom, allowing them to earn dual high school and college credits while learning creative business management firsthand. Hocking College will also leverage space in The Loom to offer classes for its Fashion Design and Retail Merchandising degree and certificate track. Doing so will remove geographic barriers for potential students unable to commute 65 miles to rural Nelsonville, OH, to participate in the school’s specialized program. Joining these academic efforts is ISAIC (Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center), the Detroit-based, Carhartt-backed nonprofit industry leader, which will introduce advanced, sustainable, and technology-driven manufacturing methodologies to train a modern workforce in energy-efficient domestic production lines.

“By bringing more than $400,000 worth of professional fashion equipment under one roof, the Loom turns access into opportunity,” says Terrell. “The Loom gives Columbus something it’s never had before—a true gathering place for the fashion community. For the first time, generations of designers, retailers, and emerging creatives have a space to connect, share knowledge, and build relationships that strengthen the entire ecosystem.”