A Dream to Make Akron/Canton, Ohio the Textile Capital of the World

By the mid-nineteenth century Akron was beginning to build the reputation that made it the tire capital of the world. Though this persona remains, the reality is that as manufacturing is increasingly moving from closed shop states to right-to-work states, Akron no longer manufactures tires. Akron was founded as a Canal town, grew into the tire capital, and the future of Akron will inevitably include change. There is one local entrepreneur whose dream embraces such change.

Randy Pope, founder of Modest Clothing Distributors, a web based retailer of modest clothing for women and girls, was distressed by the changes in American culture since the end of the Civil War. “There used to be a common thread of decency and modesty running through the culture,” says Mr. Pope. He laments that the commitment to Biblical decency has all but vanished from the culture. On the other hand he was encouraged by a growing minority, within the Christian community, who shared his disgust with the decline of modesty in dress. It was on the hope that Biblical standards of decency could be recovered that Randy started Modest Clothing Distributors, in the small town of Alliance, Ohio, just south of Akron and east of Canton.

Mr. Pope is a self-described “eternal optimist,” which stems from his belief in the sovereignty of God. No matter how bad things may appear, the Bible declares that “all things work together for good to them that love God...” Even in his college days he was taught by extremely successful businessmen, like Don Held and Dexter Yager, to dream big. Dreaming big he is. His dream now is to make Akron and Canton the textile capital of the United States.

This vision may not be as farfetched as you may think. The modest clothing industry just may spur a resurgence of textile in America. Many women who are committed to modest dress have been sewing for their families for many years now. Modest Clothing Distributors is searching out those who “maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.” (Prov. 31:24). If you live in the Akron or Canton area and you believe you can create garments of sufficient quality to be sold on the retail market you may wish to contact Modest Clothing Distributors, and provide a sample of your work for review by their quality control department. You may become a part of a network of Proverbs 31 women in the Akron and Canton area that can grow into a mega industry of modest clothing suppliers. Then as modest dress catches on throughout the society at large, Akron will transform into the textile capital of the world.