CURRENT LIST OF FARMS & FIBRE ORIGINS
BLACK SHEEP FARM | Grey County, Ontario (Romney, Gotland and Shetland cross sheep wool)
An agroecological farm, founded by farmer Brenda Hsueh, emphasizing soil health and function as managed through an intensive sheep grazing system. Considering the active role a farm can play in its landscape, agroecological principles place value on resident populations of insects, birds, and most importantly soil microbes lending a natural resiliency to the system. Well considered management of ruminant grazing sequesters carbon, building a strong foundation of healthy soil while producing meat and fibre from something humans can’t eat: grass.
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/ NORTHWEST 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. This 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.
The Rambouillet breed has been specifically adapted for the American open-range grazing model and
produces a silky, superfine, long staple wool from its dense coat with similar smooth properties to Merino, though more elastic & springy.
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.
INDEPENDENT FARMS IN TENNESSEE (regeneratively-grown indigo used for our hand-dyed items)
In partnership with a Tennessee Indigo dye producer, this collective of farms integrate indigo plants as a rotational crop to help enrich their soils. This practice, among others, is just one piece of a community shift towards regenerative methods that also provides a modest, novel stream of income from the indigo dye market.
SOUTHERN US (foraged branches and plants used for our hand-dyed items)
The pigments of nature can frequently be found in what we tend to instinctively consider as waste. Walnut hulls, fallen bark, and branches can all be transformed through the alchemy of traditional methods to produce beautifully subtle colours that somehow always feel familiar.
CREDITS
Documentary images shot by Adrian Buitenhuis
Writing by Theo Mohamed
Identity Design by Manon Fraser