Walmart, REI Back Unspun's Domestic Hubs for Automated Apparel Manufacturing

The San Francisco 3-D weaving innovator has garnered the support of some of the nation's foremost retail stalwarts as it moves to scale domestic manufacturing capacity.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 9:37pm by Ben Kaplan

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A minimalist, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a single, polished geometric object against a clean, monochromatic background, conceptually representing the precision and innovation of Unspun's automated apparel manufacturing technology.Unspun's automated 3D-weaving technology promises to transform the apparel supply chain by enabling on-demand, domestic manufacturing.San Francisco Today

San Francisco-based 3-D weaving company Unspun has secured support from major retailers like Walmart and REI as it works to establish automated apparel manufacturing hubs across the United States. Unspun's technology can produce garments directly from yarns in a highly automated process, reducing the need for traditional cut-and-sew steps. The company aims to enable brands to manufacture closer to demand and customers, improving margins by shortening production timelines.

Why it matters

Unspun's technology represents a shift towards more localized, on-demand apparel production in the U.S., addressing growing consumer demand for domestically manufactured products and retailers' needs for faster, more responsive supply chains. The development could help revitalize domestic manufacturing capabilities and create skilled jobs.

The details

Unspun has equipment ready for deployment and is currently evaluating potential sites across multiple states to establish its 3D-weaving hubs. The company's machines can produce semi-finished garments in minutes, consolidating dozens of traditional manufacturing steps into a single process. This allows brands to reorder within the same season, hold less excess inventory, and improve margins by up to 400-500 basis points through reduced markdowns and write-offs.

  • Unspun put down roots in the San Francisco Bay Area as a tech-fashion startup in 2017.
  • In 2024, Unspun partnered with Walmart to produce a line of workwear pants for one of the retailer's private label brands.
  • This week, Unspun announced that Walmart, REI, and other major supply chain partners have backed the company's mission to scale domestic manufacturing capacity.

The players

Unspun

A San Francisco-based 3-D weaving innovator that has developed proprietary, AI-enabled technology to produce garments directly from yarns in a highly automated process.

Arne Arens

The CEO of Unspun and former global brand president of The North Face.

Walmart

A major U.S. retailer that has partnered with Unspun and is supporting the company's efforts to establish domestic manufacturing hubs.

REI

A major U.S. retailer that is supporting Unspun's mission to scale domestic manufacturing capacity.

Beth Esponette

The founder of Unspun, who believed that a technology boost could help the fashion sector break its toxic cycle of overproduction and dependencies on low-cost offshore manufacturing.

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What they’re saying

“We are not exploring whether domestic apparel manufacturing can work. We are building it.”

— Arne Arens, CEO of Unspun

“Our customers are proud to buy apparel made in America, and the demand keeps growing. We are excited about Unspun's commitment and effort in helping rebuild domestic manufacturing capability that is faster, smarter, and designed for how customers actually shop.”

— Avisnash Bhasker, Vice President of Apparel Production Development, Walmart

“The next five years will really be about setting up more of these micro-factories, to get the supply as close to demand as possible and try to localize production.”

— Beth Esponette, Founder of Unspun

What’s next

Unspun must now evaluate potential locations for its domestic manufacturing hubs and establish workforce training programs to support the production facilities.

The takeaway

Unspun's technology and partnerships with major retailers like Walmart and REI represent a significant step towards revitalizing domestic apparel manufacturing in the U.S. by enabling faster, more responsive, and more sustainable production closer to consumer demand.