Written by Sasha Wirth and photographed by Noelle Gaberman As a little girl, Coleen Maloney was sure she’d found the perfect birthday present for her mother: a small brood of chicks. “My mother was born after the first day of Spring, and I was sure it was going to be the best gift ever,” she […]
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Raising Happy Animals at Integrity Alpacas
Written by Sasha Wirth and photographed by Paige Green A baby blanket, crocheted from soft and cozy alpaca fiber, was Charlene Schmid’s first glimpse into a new world of fiber. She was making it for her daughter, and the experience of working with such a silky, luxurious fiber left an indelible impression. “I didn’t want […]
Read MoreHandcrafted at Ace ‘N The Hole Ranch
Written by Marie Hoff and photographed by Paige Green Ace Vandenack is a crafter. Together with his wife, Pam, the couple has crafted a farm, a fiber business, and a life for themselves in the verdant green hills of far Northern California, in conifer-treed Humboldt County. They have built everything from the ground up, including […]
Read MoreWith Sincere Sheep, Change Begins One Skein at a Time
Written by Sasha Wirth and photographed by Noelle Gaberman While it is common for a sheep to be called mild, helpless, gentle, or wooly-minded, Lincoln wasn’t like the rest of the flock. Lincoln was “a sincere sheep,” wrote his owner. And it was this humble and candid description that stayed with Brooke Sinnes for a […]
Read MoreHow Do Our Clothes Impact the SF Bay & Ocean Health? Experiential Learning with Materevolve
Written by Jess Daniels with photography by Paige Green Earlier this month, we set sail on the San Francisco Bay with a small group of textile industry experts and ocean health advocates to discuss how fibers and fashion are impacting two of our planet’s largest carbon pools: soil and sea. The trip was organized by […]
Read MoreSpinning the Structure of Life with Paleotechnics
Written & photographed by Koa Kalish If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting Tamara Wilder of Paleotechnics, you will know her by the gentle, kind, strong, and wise temperament that emits through her speech, hands, and entire being. When speaking with her, you might feel like you are speaking with a tree, a […]
Read More3 Ways the Fashion Revolution Can Support Healthy Soil & Healthy Seas
Written by Andrea Olmsted Over the last few decades, as the growth of the $900 billion dollar global fashion industry has skyrocketed, we’ve seen the greatest degradation of our soil and sea. Such impacts include market-driven agricultural practices contributing to the loss of viable soil carbon, while fast fashion’s reliance on fossil-fuel derived fibers — […]
Read MoreFibershed Solutions to Microplastic Problems: Why textiles need to be at the core of California’s action on microplastics
By Jess Daniels This is a big year for a vast yet microscopically small problem: microplastics. California is set to begin a series of regulatory and policy efforts aimed at understanding, measuring, and strategizing to mitigate the plastic smog that blankets our waterways, soils, and even air. With more than 7 Trillion microplastic particles pouring annually […]
Read MoreEngaging Art & Nature with Spiritplay Toys
Written and photographed by Koa Kalish On the winding road that leads to the wild coastal shore of Sonoma County, CA, you will reach the quaint, sleepy town of Bodega. Nestled between the world-famous Northern Light Surf Shop and Colleen’s Coffee Shop lies the toy studio. A small cedar-shingled shack with a red-painted door and […]
Read MoreCarbon Farming and Co-Benefits at PT Ranch
Written by Koa Kalish and photographed by Paige Green At PT Ranch, 525 acres sit at the base of the Sierra mountains, where melted snowcap hydrates the land. Historically, with the abundance of moisture in the soil, grass has grown plentifully. But with the increasing droughts, the Taylor family, including Molly, her sister Madeline, her […]
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