Our Growth Is Limited by How Fast We Can Train Sewers

Most people assume textile manufacturing is limited by demand. This episode shows the real constraint is labor.

David Tucker runs a tactical textile manufacturing company with 20+ employees and a partnership-driven model. She explains why training a single sewer can take 6–9 months and cost $20,000, why retention is a constant challenge, and how thin margins make wage competition difficult. Growth isn’t about finding customers — it’s about building a stable, skilled workforce.

He also shares how referrals outperform traditional marketing, why she avoids racing to the bottom on price, and how laser cutting is becoming a profitability lever. It’s a clear look at what scaling a small U.S. manufacturing operation actually requires.