ETHICALLY SOURCED
Meaningful Collaborations. Happy Animals. Sustainably Sourced.
Sourcing and using products that are ethical, humane, sustainable, and environmentally friendly are of the utmost concern to Alicia. She has a personal relationship with many of her vendors and farmers that supply her fiber. Merino, Corriedale, Blue Faced Leicester, and Teeswater wool are often used in her felted pieces, but her favorite fibers are the locks of the Navajo Churro and the gorgeous Wensleydale curls. She uses eco-friendly banana, ramie, hemp, and flax fibers, and incorporates recycled materials to create interest and texture whenever possible. Her collaborators are deliberate stewards of the earth and care deeply for the animals under their care.
Family Farm with Regenerative Focus
Christy, Benton, and their adorable shepherdess Nora live in Northwestern Nebraska on a farmstead they acquired through an auction that they are thoughtfully bringing back to life. These young farmers adhere to regenerative agriculture practices and have the utmost respect for their land and the animals on it. All you have to do is check out their Instagram Account to appreciate this ...they also post killer sunrise and sunsets!
The practices central to their regenerative operation include no-tillage, no synthetic fertility, use of cover crops for nutrient cycling and weed control, integration of livestock into cropping systems, planned grazing, and animal and plant diversity.
Admittedly they are a work in progress...aren't we all? While their growing livestock includes a few cattle, Rambouillet sheep, and goats, they have fallen in love with the hardy Navajo Churro sheep that produce long luscious locks that Alicia frequently incorporates into her pieces. The work done on Guided Rock is beyond admirable and Alicia is incredibly grateful to collaborate with these wonderful land stewards.
Christy also makes wonderful living rugs with the wool of her happy sheep. Alicia has one comfortably situated in her studio office.
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Finest quality. No insecticides. Great Character
Duncan, Diana, and their son graze their beautiful Wensleydale sheep on 150 acres in Bucks, UK. Wensleydale longwool fiber is one of the finest quality fibers in existence. Each long, luscious curl has a strong character and distinct personality which makes it one of Alicia's favorite fibers to incorporate into her pieces. These fourth-generation farmers do not use artificial fertilizers, spray their fields with chemicals or treat their wool with any insecticidal products. They rely on rainwater and sunshine to wash and dry their wool and are true stewards of the earth and the animals under their care. In fact, their beloved Wendy was the 2022 Suffolk show rare breed Champion. Check out their Instagram account.
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High Ethical and Environmental Standards
Lovefest fibers is a woman-owned San Francisco-based company that creates sustainable fiber yarn through artisan partnerships in Tibet, Nepal, and California. Lovefest works diligently to create meaningful opportunities to support and elevate fiber-producing communities. Their partner artisans craft in small, family-run workshops and each fiber collection has a story that is intrinsically linked to landscapes, family farms, and livelihoods. Lovefest is adamant about sourcing its fiber from partners with high ethical and environmental standards. While most of their fiber is from natural biodegradable fibers, they do support the inspired use of recycled material. Alicia incorporates Lovefest products into her pieces in a variety of manners and methods. You can visit their website here.
