In conjunction with Textile Exchange’s Fall Conference, our Southern California Fibershed chapter hosted a Fiber Farm Visit to Rancho Grande, a sustainable preserve in Ojai, California.  🌿🦙 Attendees included sustainability directors from international brands, local designers, editors, and advocates for regenerative agriculture. We discussed the challenges of transitioning to regenerative agriculture practices, reconnecting local fiber to the supply chain, developing relationships, and reminding ourselves where fiber comes from.

Rancho Grande is an idyllic retreat located in the Los Padres National Forest. The Ranch cares for a flock of Merino, a herd of chill goats, 10 guard and floof dogs, an abundance of guinea pigs, chickens, ducks, a 700-pound pig named Huell, and world-famous Albert the Camel.  🐪

These on-the ground events at small scale, local farms are where aha moments and resiliency are born. The So Cal chapter is working to build a local farm-fiber-fashion ecosystem, open economic pathways, and build robust community networks. Part of the Fibershed Affiliate network, our chapter encompasses half the state of California, spanning coastal, mountain, and valley ecosystems, and including numerous family-owned flocks. The SoCal Fibershed mixed Rancho Grande's colored merino with Alpaca from Windy Hill in Somis (Ventura) to create So Cal’s first fleece-to-yarn.