![\"Matthew](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108100649\/Matthew-Iezzi-headshot-300x300.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIn addition to exploring the textile industry in North Carolina through multiple internships, his Centennial Scholarship provided enrichment funding that propelled him to accept an internship in Thailand and study abroad in Hong Kong. While in Thailand, he worked in a vertical mill producing sportswear products and gained a critical understanding of the complexities of mass manufacturing. In Hong Kong, he dove even deeper into his interest in supply chain management as a student at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Iezzi graduated in 2018 with a bachelor\u2019s degree in textile technology<\/a> and walked across the stage the following year with a master\u2019s degree in textile engineering<\/a>. This process would have typically taken at least six years, but he completed it in five thanks to the college\u2019s Accelerated Bachelor\u2019s\/Master\u2019s program<\/a>.\u00a0
Today, he lives in Los Angeles and works at Ambercycle \u2014 a materials company aiming to build an infinite textile ecosystem. As a textile engineer within the organization, Iezzi processes and develops new yarns and fabrics made from end-of-life textiles.
Outside of work, Iezzi is an avid hiker and cyclist who spends much of his free time on the trails. In addition to supporting his local community, he gives back to the Wilson College of Textiles to pay forward the support he received. \u201cHaving been a part of different student organizations on campus, I know how far even a small donation can go,\u201d Iezzi says.
To learn more about Iezzi\u2019s career path and his unique advice for current textile students, read his Q&A below.\u00a0
Degree<\/strong> B.S. Textile Technology<\/a>, 2018 and M.S. Textile Engineering<\/a>, 2019
Job Title<\/strong> Textile Engineer at Ambercycle
Current City<\/strong> Los Angeles, California
Hometown<\/strong> Gastonia, North Carolina<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why did you choose NC State and the Wilson College of Textiles? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nI grew up in Gastonia, a town with strong ties to textile mills and manufacturing, so I felt like it was a part of my DNA. I was always intrigued by the materials in the clothes I wore. My dad worked in plants when I was younger, so I grew up around manufacturing. I felt an immediate connection when I saw the college\u2019s Dyeing and Finishing Lab<\/a> (commonly called the Pilot Plant) \u2014 that really drew me in. I was intrigued by the fact that the floors below the college had facilities for producing garments from the fiber up, from spinning, knitting, weaving, dyeing and finishing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What activities were you involved in as an NC State student and how did they impact your experience? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe experience that really shaped me was being part of NC State\u2019s Global Village<\/a>. Each semester, we roomed with an exchange student from a different country. This turned the halls into a mix of cultures that exposed me to different ways of thinking and different realities. This inspired me to travel even more which is, fortunately, a large part of the global textile trade and has really helped me connect on a deeper cultural level beyond just business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is your fondest memory of being at NC State and the Wilson College of Textiles?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe sense of community within the Wilson College of Textiles, which I feel extends even after we graduate. That was largely built while eating Layton’s BBQ on the patio at the college. NC State is a big school with a small-school personality, and it has a unique mix of cultures and people. I enjoyed every bit of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Who influenced you most during your time at the Wilson College of Textiles? And why or how? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThere are too many to name! Drs. Russell Gorga<\/a>, Jess Jur, Melissa Pasquinelli<\/a>, Emiel DenHartog<\/a>, Jeff Joines<\/a>, George Hodge<\/a> and Tushar Ghosh<\/a> were all extremely wise and pushed me to explore what was possible within the textiles field. My peers influenced me, as well. Textiles are an oddly specific \u2014 and awesome \u2014 thing to study, and I found that everyone had a reason and passion for being there. This made it feel so much more than just a \u201cschool\u201d. Kent Hester, the former director of student and career services, had endless advice and shared the true benefits of what can be gained and created from a \u201cclose-knit\u201d [that pun never gets old] college community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How did your education at the Wilson College of Textiles prepare you for what you are doing today?<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe college prepared me in so many ways. A few examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- The college\u2019s Spinning Lab<\/a>, Knitting Lab<\/a>, Weaving Lab<\/a>, and Dyeing and Finishing Lab<\/a> offered me hands-on experience. I learned a lot from Tim Pleasants about spun yarn processing, and he let me liaise directly with our extension customers and companies about their yarn developments, which was an invaluable experience.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n - Tri Vu<\/a> in the Tri-Component Melt Extrusion Laboratory<\/a> went out of his way to show me the intricacies of how filament spinning and texturizing machines operate. He was invaluable in helping our Senior Design<\/a> team fabricate successful prototypes from a biobased and biodegradable polymer from our sponsor Kaneka, a Japanese chemical manufacturing company. It took hours for the spinning machine to heat up to 280C, so I got to know Tri pretty well.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n - My internship (for class credit) at the Tong Siang Company in Thailand gave me a global understanding of the textile industry, technical tricks of the trade for knitting and finishing, and direct connections to top sportswear brands.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n - Hours in the lab for knitting class looking under a pick glass at knit structures still helps me relate fabric structure to performance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
My coworkers find it funny that I still reference class textbooks and \u201cCtrl-F\u201d my notes in my job and still use that little pick glass from college. I feel extremely fortunate that our college exists and provided a world-class education for myself and so many others in our industry.<\/p>\n\n\n
The experience that really shaped me was being part of NC State\u2019s Global Village<\/a>. Each semester, we roomed with an exchange student from a different country. This turned the halls into a mix of cultures that exposed me to different ways of thinking and different realities. This inspired me to travel even more which is, fortunately, a large part of the global textile trade and has really helped me connect on a deeper cultural level beyond just business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is your fondest memory of being at NC State and the Wilson College of Textiles?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe sense of community within the Wilson College of Textiles, which I feel extends even after we graduate. That was largely built while eating Layton’s BBQ on the patio at the college. NC State is a big school with a small-school personality, and it has a unique mix of cultures and people. I enjoyed every bit of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Who influenced you most during your time at the Wilson College of Textiles? And why or how? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThere are too many to name! Drs. Russell Gorga<\/a>, Jess Jur, Melissa Pasquinelli<\/a>, Emiel DenHartog<\/a>, Jeff Joines<\/a>, George Hodge<\/a> and Tushar Ghosh<\/a> were all extremely wise and pushed me to explore what was possible within the textiles field. My peers influenced me, as well. Textiles are an oddly specific \u2014 and awesome \u2014 thing to study, and I found that everyone had a reason and passion for being there. This made it feel so much more than just a \u201cschool\u201d. Kent Hester, the former director of student and career services, had endless advice and shared the true benefits of what can be gained and created from a \u201cclose-knit\u201d [that pun never gets old] college community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How did your education at the Wilson College of Textiles prepare you for what you are doing today?<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe college prepared me in so many ways. A few examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- The college\u2019s Spinning Lab<\/a>, Knitting Lab<\/a>, Weaving Lab<\/a>, and Dyeing and Finishing Lab<\/a> offered me hands-on experience. I learned a lot from Tim Pleasants about spun yarn processing, and he let me liaise directly with our extension customers and companies about their yarn developments, which was an invaluable experience.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n - Tri Vu<\/a> in the Tri-Component Melt Extrusion Laboratory<\/a> went out of his way to show me the intricacies of how filament spinning and texturizing machines operate. He was invaluable in helping our Senior Design<\/a> team fabricate successful prototypes from a biobased and biodegradable polymer from our sponsor Kaneka, a Japanese chemical manufacturing company. It took hours for the spinning machine to heat up to 280C, so I got to know Tri pretty well.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n - My internship (for class credit) at the Tong Siang Company in Thailand gave me a global understanding of the textile industry, technical tricks of the trade for knitting and finishing, and direct connections to top sportswear brands.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n - Hours in the lab for knitting class looking under a pick glass at knit structures still helps me relate fabric structure to performance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
My coworkers find it funny that I still reference class textbooks and \u201cCtrl-F\u201d my notes in my job and still use that little pick glass from college. I feel extremely fortunate that our college exists and provided a world-class education for myself and so many others in our industry.<\/p>\n\n\n
There are too many to name! Drs. Russell Gorga<\/a>, Jess Jur, Melissa Pasquinelli<\/a>, Emiel DenHartog<\/a>, Jeff Joines<\/a>, George Hodge<\/a> and Tushar Ghosh<\/a> were all extremely wise and pushed me to explore what was possible within the textiles field. My peers influenced me, as well. Textiles are an oddly specific \u2014 and awesome \u2014 thing to study, and I found that everyone had a reason and passion for being there. This made it feel so much more than just a \u201cschool\u201d. Kent Hester, the former director of student and career services, had endless advice and shared the true benefits of what can be gained and created from a \u201cclose-knit\u201d [that pun never gets old] college community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How did your education at the Wilson College of Textiles prepare you for what you are doing today?<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe college prepared me in so many ways. A few examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- The college\u2019s Spinning Lab<\/a>, Knitting Lab<\/a>, Weaving Lab<\/a>, and Dyeing and Finishing Lab<\/a> offered me hands-on experience. I learned a lot from Tim Pleasants about spun yarn processing, and he let me liaise directly with our extension customers and companies about their yarn developments, which was an invaluable experience.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n - Tri Vu<\/a> in the Tri-Component Melt Extrusion Laboratory<\/a> went out of his way to show me the intricacies of how filament spinning and texturizing machines operate. He was invaluable in helping our Senior Design<\/a> team fabricate successful prototypes from a biobased and biodegradable polymer from our sponsor Kaneka, a Japanese chemical manufacturing company. It took hours for the spinning machine to heat up to 280C, so I got to know Tri pretty well.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n - My internship (for class credit) at the Tong Siang Company in Thailand gave me a global understanding of the textile industry, technical tricks of the trade for knitting and finishing, and direct connections to top sportswear brands.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n - Hours in the lab for knitting class looking under a pick glass at knit structures still helps me relate fabric structure to performance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
My coworkers find it funny that I still reference class textbooks and \u201cCtrl-F\u201d my notes in my job and still use that little pick glass from college. I feel extremely fortunate that our college exists and provided a world-class education for myself and so many others in our industry.<\/p>\n\n\n
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My coworkers find it funny that I still reference class textbooks and \u201cCtrl-F\u201d my notes in my job and still use that little pick glass from college. I feel extremely fortunate that our college exists and provided a world-class education for myself and so many others in our industry.<\/p>\n\n\n