Who We are
We are Wool for the People, our mission is to knit together local communities of wool producers and hand crafters, elevating the profile of domestic fiber arts and sustainable stewardship of the PNW fibershed.
Mer Stevens
Mer has worked as a production dyer, mill hand, LYS retail clerk, has designed dozens of patterns, and built a career focused on equitable employment.
She is a spinner and knitter, her love of local wool, community, and effecient systems make her the perfect mill owner.
Kasteyl Lukes
Kasteyl is the owner of Seattle Sky Dyeworks and helms the Salish Sea and Sky Retreat. She is the creator of the Pacific Northwest Women of Wool (PNWWW) product line and serves as the President of the Seattle Knitters Guild.
She has a deep passion for fiber, fiber arts, and fiber arts education. She is a dyer, knitter, spinner, and weaver, although she'll try any craft twice.
Where we're at
We are at a tipping point in getting this party started. We are in the fundraising stage, working with a small business incubator and investor program for our primary capital which we will use to purchase equipment and start up materials. What this loan doesn't cover is working capital and costs relative to our lease. We are looking to raise as much capital as we can prior to owning the equipment for two reasons:
1. To show the investors that our community is eager to see more domestic wool processing in the PNW.
2. To help cover the $16,000 that we need to secure our lease. A lease is required before funds are dispersed so having this capital is crucial. While the timeline is not guaranteed, we could have as little as 30 days to secure these funds.
What Makes us Unique
1. The equipment that we are purchasing is designed to mill fine to superfine fibers. This capability is rare in the PNW and the need is high. Similar mills currently have an 18-24 month wait time.
2. We offer dyehouse services. Yarn shops and shepherds can use us as a one stop shop, we will create and dye custom product lines effeciently and proffesionally.
3. We are Indie Dyers first. We recognize there is a knowledge gap between professionals in the shepherd/miling side and the dyer/consumer side of wool production. We have the knowledge, experience, and connections to bridge that gap. We speak technical mill specs AND Indie Dyer.
4. We emphasize domestic wool. Our future production goals include spinning frames and additional commercial scouring equipment to further serve the interests of our Fibershed.