Keynote Speaker

Clean Chemistry for Hemp Fiber Processing and Spinning

Satish Hodage | Founder and CTO, YUJ Labs

With YUJ Labs, Satish Hodage is pioneering clean-chemistry solutions that are helping unlock true textile-grade hemp fiber in North Carolina. Drawing on more than two decades of experience in lignin and cellulose chemistry and industrial materials, he has developed novel processes to modify natural fibers using plant-based, low-impact chemistry. At Discover NC Textile Hemp, Satish will share how YUJ Labs is partnering with NC farmers, processors, and yarn spinners to create hemp processing and finishing chemistries that protect the environment while improving spinnability, softness, and performance. Named for the Sanskrit root of “yoga,” meaning connection, YUJ Labs embodies the goal of connecting technology, industry, and clean solutions—an idea that began as a garage passion project and is now reshaping the regional textile hemp ecosystem.

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Textile Hemp Value Chain Panelists

Following the keynote, Anne Wiper of the Textile Innovation Engine will moderate a dynamic panel featuring representatives from across the textile hemp ecosystem—from growers and processors to product developers and end-use brands. Together, they will explore how North Carolina is building a connected pipeline from farm to finished goods.

This session will dive into the real challenges of scaling textile hemp, from supply chain gaps to processing limitations, while showcasing how collaboration, science, and technology are helping bridge those gaps. Attendees will gain insight into each stakeholder’s perspective, the progress made so far, and the critical question ahead: what comes next for textile hemp in North Carolina and beyond?

Anne Wiper | Moderator

Anne Wiper is CEO of The Textile Innovation Engine, an NSF-funded regional engine advancing regenerative, circular textile innovation from North Carolina’s historic textile belt. A veteran of global brands like Smartwool, Icebreaker, Salomon, and Nike, she now leads the Engine’s emerging hemp consortium, convening partners across the value chain to build a resilient, textile-grade hemp industry in NC.

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Rick Brown | Panelist, Farming

Patrick “Rick” Brown is a fourth-generation North Carolina farmer and owner of Brown Family Farms, where he has led a transition from tobacco to industrial hemp on reclaimed land in Warren County. As founder of Hempfinity and a partner to BIOPHIL Natural Fibers and the Textile Innovation Engine, he brings the grower’s perspective on building an equitable, scalable hemp fiber supply—grounded in soil health, farmer inclusion, and real-world market demand from brands like Patagonia.

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Marcel Dabdoub | Panelist, Processing

Marcel Dabdoub is the CEO of BIOPHIL Natural Fibers, a company building regional hemp processing capacity to turn American-grown stalk into high-quality fiber, hurd, and powders for industry. Drawing on a background in law, finance, and international business, he leads BIOPHIL’s expansion in North Carolina, where the company is investing in decortication and parallel processing lines to deliver fiber to manufacturers’ specifications and support real textile hemp supply chains in the region.

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Alisha Spradlin | Panelist, Yarn Spinning

Alisha Spradlin is Spinning Lab Manager and extension faculty at NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles, where she specializes in yarn development and alternative fiber processing. She brings a practitioner’s view on converting hemp and other next-generation fibers into spinnable yarns, drawing on hands-on experience running trials and troubleshooting processability, helping bridge early-stage innovations in textile hemp into commercially viable, scalable yarns.

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Mike Regan | Panelist, Fabric Formation

Mike Regan is Director of Market Development at Valdese Weavers, a century-old, 100% employee-owned North Carolina mill specializing in decorative jacquard and performance fabrics for residential and contract markets. He serves on the Textile Innovation Engine’s advisory board and hemp consortium, bringing production-scale weaving expertise and insight into how mills can integrate emerging fibers like hemp into commercial fabric lines while maintaining quality, efficiency, and sustainability.

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Ethan McGraw | Panelist, Brand Product Development

Ethan McGraw is Principal Material Scientist – Design and Innovation at MillerKnoll, a global design powerhouse known for iconic furniture brands including Herman Miller, Knoll, and Geiger. He brings the brand perspective on incorporating emerging alternative fibers like hemp into commercial product lines, representing MillerKnoll’s active participation in the Textile Innovation Engine’s hemp consortium to pilot real-world applications and scale textile hemp from R&D into production-ready, market-viable furnishings.

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