Wilson College collaborates with Stephen Satterfield, known from "High on the Hog," in a diverse alliance
Stephen Satterfield, a renowned figure in the food and wine industries, has ventured into a new domain with the launch of his apparel line, COMOCO. This ambitious undertaking, three-and-a-half years in the making, aims to reclaim and reimagine heritage through textiles, drawing on Satterfield's personal connection to his ancestors and their history with cotton farming [1].
COMOCO's inception can be traced back to Satterfield's Netflix docuseries, High on the Hog, where drives past cotton fields in North Carolina sparked an idea for the startup. The brand's name is a nod to the Combahee River, a significant site in African American history, and its logo features the image of a cotton boll [2].
The partnership between COMOCO and North Carolina State University's Wilson College of Textiles is a multi-faceted collaboration that formalizes COMOCO’s commitment to local textiles manufacturing [2][4]. This partnership supports innovation in North Carolina’s textile sector, highlighting Black creativity and ownership throughout the entire supply chain.
The Wilson College, known for its extensive ties to all segments of the North Carolina textiles supply chain, has expanded Satterfield's personal network. The college helps entrepreneurs navigate the industry, make introductions, and provides technical support and know-how as part of its extension mission [3].
Satterfield has collaborated closely with the Wilson College in building COMOCO. The W. Duke Kimbrell Flex Factory's Prototype Lab at the Wilson College of Textiles even printed Comoco's startup's logo on a garment. NC State's Zeis Textiles Extension (ZTE) provided product development assistance to Comoco [3].
Melissa Sharp, associate director at ZTE, was among the first at the college to connect with Satterfield. She has found his intention and work behind the scenes to be reflected in the brand's story [3]. Satterfield's team is also highlighting the Textile Innovation Engine's work to strengthen North Carolina’s textiles sector through videos and multimedia productions [3].
Satterfield shared his vision for applying the concept of "farm-to-table" to textiles, an industry long plagued by offshoring and disregard for where products are made. COMOCO's apparel line, officially launched on Juneteenth 2025, includes "Black-Grown Foundation Wear," embodying a new material tradition grounded in heritage, authenticity, and sustainability [2][5].
In addition to his work with COMOCO, Satterfield served as the 2025 John W. Pope Industrialist in Residence, providing a forum for students and faculty to interface with global industry and government executives. He also spent nearly 90 minutes speaking to students and staff through a fireside chat hosted by Friends of the Libraries [3].
With COMOCO, Satterfield is turning a painful history into a legacy of empowerment, creating what he calls the “closest thing” to a Black-owned and grown supply chain, with all sourcing and production based in North Carolina [1][2]. This narrative transformation symbolizes a shift from cotton as a symbol of oppression to cotton as a source of Black economic empowerment and cultural storytelling.
References: [1] North Carolina State University. (2025). COMOCO: A new apparel line rooted in heritage and sustainability. NC State News. Retrieved from https://news.ncsu.edu/2025/06/comoco-apparel-line-launch/
[2] Satterfield, S. (2025). High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America. Penguin Random House.
[3] Wilson College of Textiles. (2025). COMOCO and Wilson College of Textiles partnership. Wilson College of Textiles News. Retrieved from https://textiles.ncsu.edu/news/comoco-wilson-college-of-textiles-partnership/
[4] Textile Innovation Engine. (2025). Strengthening North Carolina’s textiles sector. Textile Innovation Engine. Retrieved from https://textileinnovationengine.org/strengthening-north-carolinas-textiles-sector/
[5] COMOCO. (2025). Black-Grown Foundation Wear. COMOCO. Retrieved from https://comoco.com/collections/black-grown-foundation-wear
- Stephen Satterfield, known for his work in the food and wine industries, has expanded into the apparel business with COMOCO, a line that aims to reimagine heritage using textiles.
- COMOCO's origins can be traced back to Satterfield's Netflix docuseries, High on the Hog, where scenes of cotton fields in North Carolina sparked the idea for the startup.
- The brand's name, COMOCO, paying homage to the Combahee River, and its logo featuring a cotton boll, both hold significant meaning in African American history.
- COMOCO has partnered with North Carolina State University's Wilson College of Textiles, a collaboration focusing on local textiles manufacturing and innovation within North Carolina's textile sector.
- Melissa Sharp, associate director at NC State's Zeis Textiles Extension, was one of the first to connect with Satterfield, providing product development assistance to COMOCO.
- COMOCO's apparel line, launched on Juneteenth 2025, embodies a new material tradition that emphasizes heritage, authenticity, and sustainability, bringing a "farm-to-table" concept to the textiles industry.
- Satterfield, as the 2025 John W. Pope Industrialist in Residence, provided a platform for students and faculty to interface with global industry and government executives, sharing his experiences and vision for COMOCO.
- With COMOCO, Satterfield transforms a painful history into a legacy of empowerment, creating what he calls the “closest thing” to a Black-owned and grown supply chain, keeping all sourcing and production based in North Carolina.
