Friday Marketplace

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‘The cloth is everything‘ and the designs created to showcase the fabric, are basic with a simple clean line. Repairable, adjustable, meant to last a lifetime, the entire garment will bio-degrade back to the earth, following the age-old ‘soil to soil’ regenerative agricultural model.

Working from the basic philosophy, that economies must support a thriving community while doing no harm, we engage a local workforce and area artisans, and look for local, pure, unadulterated, bio-degradable materials to create each garment.

Black Sheep Farm is an agroecological farm, prioritizing soil health, biodiversity, and social justice. The sheep are grazed on pasture using intensive managed grazing, to maximize the positive soil carbon capture benefits of ruminants, while producing food and fibre from something humans can’t eat, grass.

One of the translations of the French word "farfelu" is "hare-brained," which precisely describes the beginning of my journey into the fibre arts. I bought my first French angora, "Cadbury," in 2004 with the intent to learn to spin his beautiful fibre. Two years later, one rabbit had blossomed into a full-fledged breeding, showing and spinning obsession. More room and better equipment were required. Finally, in 2020, the rabbitry moved to a small farm, first adding alpacas, then in 2021, a Belfast Mini Mill. I hope to help you fulfill your own fibre ambitions!

WoolGrown is a 100% felted wool fabric, grown and manufactured in Ontario. Wool is a naturally biodegradable material that could become a viable sustainable alternative to plastic-based growing fabrics. WoolGrown isn’t just environmentally friendly— it has the potential to contribute to soil health and become a positive farming input. Our team of experts is here to help you with any questions you have about yarn and knitting.

Our mission is to initiate sustainability and support farmers by upcycling wool and fibre waste into valuable products. By converting organic materials into usable products, we aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support a thriving circular economy.

Revolution Wool Company creates naturally soft and luxurious wool bedding, pillows and home goods from wool grown on Canadian family farms.

This wearable object is constructed and dyed using natural materials with the intention of minimizing a strain on the earth at the end of its lifecycle. Pockets are filled with wildflower seeds for the wearer to interact with, spreading them as they walk. The attached gloves serve as a reminder to be gentle and reflexive when approaching the natural world.

@islacowan / @shopheavyflow - First year MA Fashion student at TMU.

Project: Fib(re)shed: An exploratory case study of the Canadian Fibreshed movement. 

This project investigates the Fibreshed movement in Canada, advocating for re-localization and decentralized fashion and textile systems. Utilizing both traditional social sciences and creative methods, the creative portion of the project explores the outputs of the movement through the creation of garments and textile objects made from entirely Canadian grown and processed materials. The objective of this creative exploration is to generate materially-based knowledge as a means of engagement with Canadian textile ecologies. 

Instagram: @lothlo

Ever wonder how a fluffy pile of fleece becomes a cozy piece of yarn? Wen’s project spins the story — literally. One side shows natural-dyed roving magically (okay, skillfully) turned into yarn with a drop spindle, then knit into tiny swatches. The other reveals the full fleece-to-yarn journey: carding, roving, spinning, and plying. It’s a hands-on celebration of slow crafting — because good yarn takes time! 

Beyond the craft, her research explores the potential for local farmers to produce small-batch yarn in-house using open-source machines — tackling fleece waste and promoting sustainable, Ontario-produced fiber. 

Follow the fibre fun at @wensstudio.ca 

Beau is a beginner tanner who's excited to share what they love about the practice of natural tanning! They'll be ready to show you some examples of naturally tanned hides and talk about what working with natural, raw materials means for us as environmentally concious crafters and animal caretakers. 

Watch as fleeces are skirted - which is the process of removing what is undesirable from the fleece and then dividing it up according to it’s best end use.

Presentations by Lickety Spit Fibre Farm and Wellington Fibres Mill

Drop by the Ontario Fibreshed table to see what fibre is being grown in Ontario!