Award-winning RI manufacturer Moss Pure discusses growth journey at New England SBA Summit

Banking partnership with Washington Trust helped fuel company’s expansion

WESTERLY, R.I. — When Jamie Mitri launched Moss Pure after winning an MIT startup competition in 2020, she never imagined she would one day be manufacturing 25-foot living moss installations for clients across the country. Today, the Rhode Island entrepreneur leads a growing manufacturing company whose products can be found in corporate offices, health care facilities and commercial properties nationwide. 

Mitri shared that growth story during a panel discussion at the 2026 New England M.A.D.E. Summit on Sept. 15, where she was joined by Joseph Confessore, senior vice president and managing director of Commercial and Private Banking at The Washington Trust Company (Washington Trust), Jessica Mello, Assistant Vice President and Loan Officer, Community Investment Corporation, and moderator Diane Sturgeon, SBA District Director for Maine. The discussion focused on business expansion, access to capital and the importance of strategic partnerships in helping manufacturers scale. 

Moss Pure manufactures living moss air-purifying art installations that combine science, sustainability and design. Mitri founded the company after her business idea won first place in an MIT startup competition. Later that year, Moss Pure was invited to participate in the United Nations Development Programme, where it was recognized as a Top 10 Startup in August 2020. Today, the company serves clients throughout the United States while continuing to manufacture its products in Rhode Island.

From its manufacturing facility in Cranston, R.I., Moss Pure sources all non-moss materials locally, within a five-mile radius of its operation. The approach reflects Mitri's commitment to supporting local suppliers while keeping manufacturing rooted in Rhode Island. 

As demand grew, Mitri found herself constrained by the company's original manufacturing space. Larger commercial projects required additional production capacity, greater ceiling height and more room for assembly and shipping. After searching for more than a year, she found a commercial condominium that could support the company's next stage of growth. 

“I was looking for something for a year and a half," Mitri said during the panel. "I found this commercial space that would allow me to create these bigger pieces and keep going after these bigger companies for these bigger pieces.” 

Washington Trust helped Moss Pure secure financing to purchase the property, enabling the company to expand production and pursue larger projects. The additional space immediately opened new opportunities.

“My business grew because I got into the new commercial condo space, and I was able to put the money I saved on the down payment into marketing to get those bigger clientele,” Mitri said.

Among those projects was a custom installation for a professional basketball player, a project that would have been impossible to manufacture in the company's previous facility. Mitri said the new space now allows Moss Pure to build multiple large-scale installations simultaneously and better serve its growing national customer base.

For Washington Trust, the Moss Pure story reflects the value of relationship banking.

“What we try to do is really understand the client and their business, as well as the strategy and what they want to do and how they want to grow,” Confessore said. “Then we try to match the products and services around that.”

Confessore said the bank's goal is to look beyond a single transaction and understand how it can help businesses achieve their long-term objectives.

“We're not a transactional lender,” he said. “We're focused on building relationships and finding ways to create value for our clients.”

That relationship proved especially meaningful to Mitri, who acknowledged she was initially hesitant to take on business financing.

“I was just really scared as a business owner,” she said. “I didn't understand any of the financial information, and they walked me through it. Washington Trust was great with me and made me feel very comfortable.” 

As Moss Pure continues to grow, Mitri said she already finds herself thinking about what comes next. The company is producing larger projects, expanding its reach and exploring future opportunities to increase its manufacturing footprint.

“I have that relationship with Washington Trust, where if I need something, I know I can count on them,” Mitri said. “To me, that relationship is really important.”

For Confessore, helping companies reach that next stage is one of the most rewarding parts of commercial banking.

“Jamie has done an excellent job executing what her plan is and even thinking about the next few steps and next stages on what's coming in the future,” he said. 

The New England M.A.D.E. Summit brings together manufacturers, lenders, economic development organizations and industry leaders from across the region to discuss innovation, workforce development and business growth. For Moss Pure, the event provided an opportunity to share a R.I. success story that continues to gain national attention, while highlighting how a strong banking partnership helped turn ambitious plans into measurable growth.

ABOUT THE WASHINGTON TRUST COMPANY^®

Founded in 1800, The Washington Trust Company (“Washington Trust”) is recognized as the oldest community bank in the nation, the largest state-chartered bank headquartered in Rhode Island and one of New England’s premier financial services companies. In 2025, Washington Trust reached a milestone of 225 years in operation, marking its commitment to helping the people, businesses, and organizations of New England improve their financial lives. The Bank offers a wide range of commercial banking, mortgage banking, personal banking and wealth management services through its offices in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts and a full suite of convenient digital tools. Washington Trust is a member of the FDIC and an equal housing lender. Washington Trust is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., a publicly-owned holding company which trades on NASDAQ: WASH. For more information, visit the Bank's website at www.washtrust.com or the Corporation's website at ir.washtrust.com.