This article highlights a critical part of the fiber supply chain: the fiber processors that operate mills. Situated between the producers growing raw natural fibers and the artisans and designers crafting textiles, fiber mills add life to a product. As an intermediary, mill owners and operators get to experience numerous aspects of the life cycle of fibers and textiles. A true labor of love, their work requires a deep understanding of natural fibers’ properties — from sheep’s wool to alpaca to cotton and flax — to create customized products of the highest quality.
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3 Maps Show How We Can Unlock Local Clothing Industries
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 […]
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Weaving Hemp into the Northern California Fibershed
Bast fibers have been highly regarded for beautiful, durable textiles throughout history and into the modern era. Over the past year, Fibershed’s Lead Process Engineer Nicholas Wenner has been connecting […]
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The Journey of Wool through Woolgatherer Carding Mill
This is the second in a two-part series of interviews and visits to Northern California Fibershed producer members Shepherd’s Dream and the Woolgatherer Carding Mill. While intertwined, these individual businesses […]
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A Legacy of Production at Valley Oak Wool & Fiber Mill
Written by Sarah Lillegard & Photographed by Paige Green At Valley Oak Wool Mill, the day starts early with hopes of beating the summer heat. Despite the morning hour, the […]
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Frankenmuth Woolen Mill: Preserving American-made Craft for Over 100 Years
Written by Sasha Wirth; Photographed by James Saleska (mill and bedding images) & Paige Green (ranch images) In a humble Midwestern town in 1894, a mill opened its doors for […]
Read MoreBlending Local Wool & Community in Valley Ford
photos by Paige Green For Ariana Strozzi and Casey Mazzucchi, partners in both business and life, ranching has been a lifelong pursuit. Ariana grew up on the Marin coast, and […]
Read MoreCome to the Mill-In!
You’re invited to the annual mill-in, hosted by Jane Deamer, and the Yolo Wool Mill. Tomorrow will be a full day for all those wanting to see the one and […]
Read MoreBetween Soil and Skin: Our Mill
Making Fibershed clothes from within our designated 150 mile radius continues to be a deep exploration into local resources. This exploration led the Fibershed team on a drive northeast on […]
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