CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Massachusetts has been chosen to host a $317 million futuristic textiles manufacturinghub.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter joined Gov. Charlie Baker and other state leaders on Friday in announcing the new public-private partnership based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.
Baker says the state is pledging $40 million in matching funds to support capital projects at the facility which will be known as the Revolutionary Fiber and Textile Manufacturing Innovation Institute.
The project's goal is to help develop cutting-edge fabrics — everything from gear to protect firefighters from the hottest flames to innovations that can weave the sensing capabilities of a smart watch into a lightweight fabric.
Other participants in the project include the University of Massachusetts and Quinsigamond Community College.