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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The Hemp Casita of Rezolana — Rising up from the Ground
Written and photographed by Koa Kalish, except where noted Out along flat, sprawling farmlands that run up against the sharp incline and dramatic sweep of the fiercely peaked Sangre de Cristo mountains, a story rises up from the ground. Kissed by blue sky and vibrant clouds that come to life, there humbly stands a ten-by-ten […]
Read MoreCotton in Community: Field to Fashion with Acadian Brown Cotton
Written by Lauren Odom and with photography as noted This rich, intertwined story of an heirloom seed, an age-old tradition, and a bright future all began when Sharon Gordon Donnan, an experienced filmmaker, and textile conservator, spotted an old blanket while browsing at an antique sale in Washington, Louisiana. It was no ordinary blanket because […]
Read MoreTula: A Return to India’s Regenerative Cotton Roots
As part of our series on cotton in community, we are honored to share this article produced by Harpreet Singh, exploring the connections between cotton, colonialism, cloth production, and community-based economies. As Harpreet writes, tula is a Sanskrit word that means cotton and also means balance or equilibrium. The vision and approach of this work […]
Read MoreGrowing 50 Acres of Hemp in North Carolina: Field Notes from the One Acre Exchange
One Acre Exchange supports the development of an agricultural economy centering the sustainability of farmers, workers, and the planet. In North Carolina and beyond, we support farmers and artisans in the growth and development of industrial hemp because of its tremendous potential to revitalize local economies and regenerate the environment. Read past dispatches to learn […]
Read MoreCotton in Community: Reconnecting to Traditional Indian Farming Practices in the Prakriti Fibershed
Written by Esha Chhabra with supplemental reporting by Jess Daniels. Photography by Ashish Chandra and Nishanth Chopra, as noted. Nishanth Chopra grew up in a city that’s seeing record cancer rates. But it’s not a coincidence, he says. “I don’t think I would have been as passionate about organic farming and ethical supply chains if […]
Read More3 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 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 […]
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 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 MoreWeaving 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 with bast fiber growers, researchers, processors, and artisans to better understand the state of soil to soil systems for these unique plants. This series examines […]
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