to give manufacturers and designers more tools to work with in their efforts to
create sustainable products. They’re working on options that incorporate
other eco-friendly fibers as well.
An active player in creating the Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS),
Vermont Organic Fiber Co. is not only leading new developments in fashion
but in regulatory policy as well and is helping bring about a new level of awareness and transparency within the organic textile industry.
Shepherding a New Concept From Field to Fashion
Vermont Organic Fiber Co. was the first, and is currently the only, company
to develop commercial supplies of organic wool yarns and fabrics and bring
them to market.
“It’s tough getting farmers to
take the risk right now, but as they
see organic wool becoming more of a
hot commodity, I am sure there will
be more converting domestically.”
Founder Matthew Mole was inspired to”start his company while working on
a research project on natural fibers at the University of Vermont. At the time,
there were a few operations making organic wool products, yet no one had
developed a commercial market or supply chain for it. Mole saw an opportunity to make a difference.
“A lot of my passion and drive comes from what can be done to support
organic agriculture and provide a return to the broadest group of organic producers,” says Mole. “By looking at what had been happening in the marketplace with other sustainable fibers, and the fact that wool was a highly functional fiber that designers and consumers were familiar with, there was really
an opportunity to be moving volume here.”
He found organic sheep farmers in New Mexico, Oregon and North
Dakota who were either selling their wool in conventional markets, or not selling it at all, and struck up a win-win deal. The farmers were already raising
their sheep in accordance with organic standards and were thrilled to have a
premium market for their wool.
Processors, on the other hand, were not so easy to convince. “This is where
the biggest mind-shift took place,” said Mole. While conventional wool is treated with several harsh chemicals and soaps throughout processing, O~Wool
uses only organic-compliant natural plant-based products. Cellulose is removed
from the fibers mechanically rather than through acid baths used in conventional wool processing. “Getting mills to change the way they are doing things
or understand potential contamination from pesticides and other chemicals
took a lot of education and training,” Mole said.
Slowly the company began to grow but the real jumpstart came when
Vermont Organic Fiber Co. began working with Patagonia by supplying
O~Wool organic yarns for their
sweaters. Then Mole looked at other
companies who had made sustainability commitments and approached them
about O~Wool. As the company grew,
Mole realized that domestic wool alone
was not going to meet his needs. For
one, domestic sheep farms tended to
be very small and he would only be
able to get a couple hundred pounds
from each, resulting in a hodgepodge
of textures and quality. Also most
sheep farmers in the United States are
more focused on raising sheep for
lamb meat rather than wool, so the
only wool he could find domestically
was a thicker, more coarse wool. So he
went to the wool capital of the world—
Australia. There he was able to work
with certified organic farmers who specialized in merino wool, a finer, softer
wool that would allow him to expand
his offerings to please the designer
who desired a more finished look and
softer feel.
Mole still works with many domestic
farmers and is even working with the
American Sheep Industry Association
and universities to generate more
interest in domestic production of
organic wool. More domestic wool
means less is transported from across
the world, translating to environmental
benefits, an expanded range of products, reduced cost of transportation,
and a reduced carbon footprint. “It’s
tough getting farmers to take the risk
right now, but as they see organic wool
becoming more of a hot commodity, I
am sure there will be more converting
domestically,” he said.
Today, O~Wool, which trickled into
the market, is now starting to flood
every corner of it. Vermont Fiber Co.
works with over 130 companies who
manufacture products using O~Wool.
Partnering with Jasco Fabrics in New
York, the company has worked to produce some fashion knit fabrics for
Diane Von Furstenberg, Linda
Loudermilk and other top designers
