How Fibershed’s RFMI Ecosystem Mapping is setting the stage for designing and implementing key expansions in textile manufacturing in the Western United States Written by Nicholas Wenner Each year, the United States produces enough wool to create millions of sweaters and enough cotton to cut and sew billions of t-shirts — so, why is it […]
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Crafting a Family Business with Milk & Honey 1860
Written & photographed by Sarah Lillegard Off the highway and along a dirt road in Butte Valley, California there is a large white house with a wraparound porch sitting at the front of forty acres. This house was built in 1860 and is now home to the Larson family and their farm business named for […]
Read MoreBenefitting Climate & Communities: How Clothing Cooperatives Could Grow Equitable Regional Economies
Cooperative structures like the Carolina Textile District provide an inspirational example of the type of regional networks that could grow and flourish throughout the country. By Nicholas Wenner and Adrian Rodrigues What does it look like to coordinate a manufacturing vision that will regionalize the production of textiles in the Western US and contribute to […]
Read MoreWeaving Expression with Gather the Universe
Written and photographed by Koa Kalish As Mary Diaz works at her loom, it’s not clear if she’s the one weaving or if it’s the large ornate spider on her arm that is weaving her. “Weaving is a great metaphor for my life, “Mary says. “To me, the spider humbly embodies the beauty in the […]
Read MoreDisease as a Driver For Change: Reflections Through the Lens of Ecology
Natural systems provide us the road-map for making sense of these confusing and befuddling times; they support us in seeing what is important to do right now and what our next steps could look like Sheltering in place and social distancing is distilled as a critical form of collective intelligence Ecosystems are a model for […]
Read More5 Ways You Can Strengthen Our Fibershed While Sheltering in Place
By Jess Daniels It’s clear that our economy is shifting. A chasm has formed, and it’s uprooting so many systems that have been dysfunctional for far too long — systems that harm human and ecological health. Fashion and material culture are part and parcel of those systems. We see that the industry that clothes us, […]
Read MoreStaying Connected and Supporting Our Fibershed Amid Coronavirus
In times like this, our emotions and concerns can point us toward what we most value: the health and resilience of our community. Since receiving the social distancing and shelter in place directives here in Northern California, the Fibershed team has been working to shift gears and support our community from soil to soil. Wherever […]
Read MoreStitching Texture and Connection with Carol Lee Shanks
Written and photographed by Koa Kalish Carol Lee Shanks has been creating unique sculptural clothing and wearable art since 1983. She curates thoughtful and intimate spaces for people to enter her world within her studio and showroom by appointment, or whenever she debuts a new collection. In a two-story building on a quiet road in […]
Read MoreNative Plants for Textiles: 3 Bast Fibers to Know Beyond Hemp and Flax
Bast fibers have been highly regarded for beautiful, durable textiles throughout history and into the modern era. As part of our ongoing Bast Fiber Research effort, Fibershed engaged mechanical engineer Nicholas Wenner to connect with bast fiber growers, researchers, processors, and artisans to better understand the state of soil-to-soil systems for these unique plants. In […]
Read MoreExploring the Tactility of Color with BioHue
Written and photographed by Sarah Lillegard. Mid-morning light comes through a window in Judi Pettite’s studio, casting a glow on the boxes of fabric and paintings in progress. Pinned to one of the walls is an installation of dyed coffee filters, the grid of them making a spectrum of color. With a closer look, each […]
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