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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

BELLA+CANVAS Establishes Wetumpka, Alabama, Advanced Fabric Facility

03/11/2022
BELLA+CANVAS, a fast-growing apparel manufacturer with a “Made in the USA” focus, plans to open an advanced fabric-cutting facility in Wetumpka, Alabama. The $11.9 million project is expected to create more than 550 jobs.

The company will establish operations in a portion of an 890,000-square-foot building in Elmore County vacant since 2013, when Russell Brands departed.

“We are thrilled to be part of the community and look forward to creating jobs and opportunities for many in Alabama,” said Chris Blakeslee, president of BELLA+CANVAS. “After a comprehensive search, we ultimately concluded that our new location in Wetumpka, Alabama was not only optimal to enhance our manufacturing footprint and technologically advanced operations levels, but also ideal in terms of support from the local government and access to great new team members,” he added.

AIDT, the state’s primary workforce development agency, will assist BELLA+CANVAS with pre-employment and job training services.

“The decision by BELLA+CANVAS to locate its high-tech cutting facility in Wetumpka is welcome news for Elmore County and for Alabama,” Governor Kay Ivey said. “Not only will the company’s growth project spark the creation of a significant number of jobs, but it also underscores how Alabama is ready and eager to play a role in America’s manufacturing renaissance.”

BELLA+CANVAS employs over 1,000 people at a Los Angeles cutting facility it calls North America’s most advanced, thanks to proprietary software and cutting tables that enable the cutting of about 3 million garments per week. The Wetumpka location is expected to be modeled after this operation.

“Alabama’s manufacturing sector provides an ideal home for technologically advanced operations like the one planned by BELLA+CANVAS in Wetumpka,” said Greg Canfield, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.

Los Angeles-based BELLA+CANVAS produces clothing for the retail and wholesale markets, while also offering clothing design and manufacturing services. The company is known for its domestic manufacturing mission, the development of innovative new fabrics, and its sustainability practices.

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