Manufacturing Mills

Amy is a sustainable textile industry writer. She works as the sustainability and communications Director for Botanical Colors as well as the  Communications Lead for TS Designs and co-runs the Southeastern New England Fibershed.

Stephen is the Senior Vice President of Sales at Meridian Specialty Yarn Group and has held a number of roles in Operations and Sales throughout his tenure at the mill.

Echoview is a sustainable spinning mill, knitting operation, and design house based in Weaverville, NC.

Susan Snider is the founder of Mad River Fiber Mill. Mad River Fiber Arts & Mill is a full-service fiber processing mini mill in Waitsfield, Vermont, working with wool, alpaca, llama, mohair, and even angora fiber!

Ben Hostetler is the Operations Manager at Mountain Meadow Wool Mill. They will be discussing what it's like running a small family business in the wool industry, how ranchers and their own mill are adapting to changes brought by COVID-19.

Leigh Anne Hilbert is the Network Coordinator for the Carolina Textile District, an enterprise of The Industrial Commons.Leigh also opened The Drygoods Studios, a community driven mixed-use studio space in the heart of West Asheville, where she sells her canvas and leather bags and accessories.

In our conversation, we talk about her most recent publication “Vanishing Fleece: Adventures in American Wool.” A tale of her year-long exploration traveling to farms and mills across America in order to transform a 676-pound bale of fleece into commercial yarn.

Mary Jeanne Packer is the owner of Battenkill Fibers in Greenwich, New York. Battenkill Fibers is the last standing wool fiber mill in New York offering commercial scale carding and spinning for fiber farms and manufactures of yarn and fiber products.

Emily Winter is the co-founder of The Weaving Mill, an artist-run industrial weaving studio in Chicago.

Ashford probably needs no introduction for many of you - the much beloved New Zealand Manufacturer of weaving and spinning equipment. I love Ashford looms and am an Ashford dealer, so I spend lots of time helping many of you pick out the perfect loom.

Fibershed started as a personal project of Rebecca’s where she sought out a wardrobe that could be tracked within 150 miles of her location. And that personal project turned into a pioneering source for the progression towards a more sustainable equitable textile farming industry across the US.

As weavers and spinners around the world know, Schacht is a beloved company making beautiful, high quality equipment for weavers and spinners. All of their products are made in Boulder, Colorado, and they are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year.