At Cimarrona, we are using the opportunity this strange time has brought us to make changes to our line and our approach. For the last 14 years our goal has been to reduce, recycle and reuse whenever possible in all of the work we create, and we have used predominantly post consumer textiles as the main body of our line. Going forward, will still create using discarded, quality textiles. However……
Here in North Texas the abundance of post consumer (aka thrift store) wool sweaters has fallen. Where at one time a 60 mile wool sweater buying trip would result in 4-8 very large bags full of sweaters, it now results in maybe 1/2 of a bag. Driving many miles to find the basic materials for what I do, has not only increased my business’ carbon footprint, it has also added hours to the production process.
So… during the next month I will be giving each piece in my line a re-do, and the line as a whole will be more user friendly : reversible, machine washable, and easier to maintain! We hope you will appreciate the NEW Cimarrona line and will follow us as we move along into this new year! Stay tuned and stay safe out there!
Hi Leslie,
I look forward to everything you do next! And I’m curious: what do you think has caused the lack of available thrift shop sweaters?
Here in Wyoming, they’re probably plentiful, though I haven’t been in a thrift shop since the pandemic began.
Happy new year to you and Shannon,
Ann
Ann, Happy New Year! I am guessing that the lack of wool in North Texas is part global warming and part just folks having cycled out their old wool and replaced it with synthetics or blends that are more fitting to the warmer weather we have here. They were plentiful in the are when I started Cimarrona in 2004- but times have changed – my work will be changing as well.