CURRENT LIST OF FARMS & FIBRE ORIGINS

BLACK SHEEP FARM | Grey County, Ontario (Romney, Gotland and Shetland cross sheep wool with a focus on natural colours)

Brenda Hsueh is the founder of Black Sheep Farm in Chesley, Ontario, a 40-acre agroecological farm that prioritizes soil health, biodiversity, circular economy and social justice. At Black Sheep Farm, sheep are grazed on pasture using intensive managed grazing techniques, which maximize the soil carbon capture benefits of ruminants. This practice helps produce food and fiber from grass—something humans can’t eat—but that can be transformed into something beautiful and functional.

SALLY FOX/ VIRIDITAS FARM | Northern California (Organically Bred FOXFIBRE®)

A biodynamic farm and research site, owned and operated by Sally Fox, a pioneering scientist, artist, and activist Known for her work with heirloom, naturally coloured cotton varieties, Sally has dedicated her life to rescuing these unique plants from the forgotten halls of history and refining their genetics to improve the quality of their fibres. Growing naturally in rich, subtle shades of green, brown, and red, coloured cottons require no dyeing while their heartier genetics both reduce their water needs and provide stronger resistance to pests. Sally’s lifelong dedication to regenerative, organic farming is evident in her integration of livestock and crop rotation systems, notably featuring heirloom Sonora Wheat–renowned for its soil-enriching qualities. Paving the way for farmers that came after her, commercial organic cotton farming in the US owes much of its life to Sally.

ALVAREZ FARMS | New Mexico (Organic Sea island cotton & Foxfibre®)

Founded in 1992, Dosi Alvarez’s organic cotton farm is among the earliest commercial scale growers of organic cotton in the US. Alvarez Farms is the only American grower of Organic Sea Island cotton, a luxurious, supple, long-staple fibre, also known as Pima.

LANI'S LANA | HIGH DESERT CALIFORNIA/ NEVADA (Regeneratively-Raised Rambouillet Wool)

Fibre Producer Lani’s Lana creates yarns and combed top from luxurious Rambouillet wool, sourced from sheep that open-range graze the Warner Mountains of Northeastern California and the rangelands of Northwestern Nevada. In the winter, the sheep browse desert rangelands and migrate to the Warner Mountains during the summer months, all under the watchful eyes of the sheepherders and their dogs- a lifestyle is deeply rooted in tradition and grandeur—close to the earth, connected to nature, and ever exposed to the uncontrollable elements beyond human influence.

Lani’s wool has earned the Climate Beneficial™ Wool Certification, thanks to a Carbon Farm Plan developed by their ranch partner in collaboration with Fibershed and the Carbon Cycle Institute in 2016. This plan incorporates sustainable practices such as no-till or minimum-till farming, cover cropping, compost application, hedgerow planting, and water conservation initiatives. Additionally, the ranch features several beaver dams and completed riparian restoration projects in the Warner Mountains.

TEXAS ORGANIC COTTON MARKETING CO-OPERATIVE (TOCMC) | South Plains Texas  (Organic Upland cotton)

Farmer-owned-and-operated, TOCMC’s approximately 35 members, grow USDA-certified Upland Organic Cotton. Driven by the work of their members, without whom they would not exist, each bale of cotton sold by the co-op can be traced to not only its farmer, but the specific field from which it originates. Farmers are paid based on quality, incentivizing them to raise their plants with a focus on longevity and overall health, avoiding the overapplication of fertilizers and pesticides. The surplus organic cotton seeds they produce are also used in dairy feed, and their diversified fields naturally fix nitrogen with legumous cover crops like peas and soybeans.

CREDITS

Documentary images shot by Adrian Buitenhuis

Writing by Theo Mohamed

Identity Design by Manon Fraser