Friday Marketplace 2025

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WE ARE TIME TRAVELLERS!

 “Capturing the past to provide a future!”

Our mission is to create the cleanest, greenest, most responsible; processing practices, yarn, fabric, clothing and products and to build community around the reclamation of a local natural textile industry.

Using traditional methods on vintage equipment, we are processing natural wool fibre from small Canadian farms. We produce a line of artisanal garments in the same way that it has been done for thousands of years; chemical free, non-toxic, long-lasting clothing that eventually returns to the soil. 

Since time began, every culture has created practical garments to meet the needs of their environment. The desire to beautify and individualize our costume has been universal and has created incredibly diverse and beautiful clothing, identifying who we are, our place, culture, neighbourhood and standing in the world.

World interest is turning away from toxic fast fashion. Many, already educated by the local, sustainable, organic food movement, are turning to consider their clothing and other household products. The change in demand will be swift and we are poised to provide an alternative.

Clothing was always meant to protect us, not kill us!

Our vintage equipment has been gathered from across North America from closed mills. The oldest, our carder, is 100 years old. You are invited to her birthday party on July 12, 2025 during our Textile Festival. 

We work exclusively with Canadian grown fibre; Wool, Alpaca, Mohair and small amounts of Angora and Llama.

We process raw fleece for small to mid- sized Canadian farms.We are large enough to be able to process hundreds of pounds of fibre for an individual farm, yet small enough that we can be breed specific, yielding yarn, roving, felt, blankets and even fabric from their own harvest.

Being semi-worsted, rather than a woollen mill, increases the range, therefore the choices, that a farmer or consumer has for finished yarn and wool products. 

For our own Brand of clothing and household products, we purchase raw wool from Ontario fibre farms, checking that their practices are both chemically and cruelty free. Consequently, all fibre used in our brand comes from “free range”, “grass-fed” animals raised on small family farms. We can tell you what breed the wool is, whose farm it came from and in some cases, even the name of the individual sheep.  We are home to the “15 Mile Jacket”, the “25 Mile Sock” and the “40 Mile Sweater”.

No chemicals, beyond soap and a pH balancer in the wash water, are used in processing and as a result, our yarn and fabric will provide you with some of the most comfortable, responsible and chemical free products that are being produced in the world today. We do not use acids to burn out vegetation, no anti-static agents, no spinning oils, no chemical dyestuffs, no shrink proofing, fire retardants, bleaches or any of the other commonly used finishing products. Our yarn and fabric have not been denatured or poisoned. 

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!