"We have inventory, and we are desperately looking for opportunities to send it out and keep our business going," says Allison Blake, CEO and cofounder of handcrafted jewelry manufacturer Soulku. The company, which employs around 20 craftspeople, helps keep local jobs alive, allowing her employees to help rebuild Asheville further, highlighting the interconnectedness of local business resilience and community recovery after the hurricane.
Manufacturing employs 21,300 people in Buncombe and neighboring counties, according to local economic reports. Other local manufacturers, like Moonlight Makers, have also just resumed national shipments, indicating a turn towards recovery despite the devastation.
"It has been a massive job getting everything wet thrown away," writes Emma Allen, founder of skincare products maker Everyday Oil. This reflects the challenges of local businesses in salvaging resources and recovering from the physical and economic impacts of Hurricane Helene's flooding.
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