Sheep to Chic - The Case for a Northern Califrornia Textile Mill
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The document proposes establishing a wool textile mill in Northern California to process the region's wool and create economic opportunities. It notes that over 600,000 sheep in California produce over 3 million pounds of wool annually, but most is exported with no local fine-grade fiber processing. A wool mill could generate $40 million annually by processing 1 million pounds of wool into yarn, fabric and other products. It would create a sustainable local textile supply chain and livelihoods for women, helping address economic challenges many mothers face. Next steps include assessing wool quality, consumer demand, and infrastructure needs to determine feasibility.
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Sheep to Chic - The Case for a Northern Califrornia Textile Mill
- 1. Sheep to Chic The Business Case for a Northern California Wool Textile Mill
- 2. What will I talk about today? Growing the local green economy Supporting California sheep farmers California Wool Mill Creating real livelihood for women Developing a sustainable textile supply chain
- 3. Why don’t we use our own wool? Shift to overseas garment manufacturing Most US wool is exported US is largest Consumer awareness consumer of wool
- 4. How many sheep in the US?
- 5. Why did wool volume decline? Synthetic Fiber Foreign subsidies Meat packer consolidation National Wool Act US policy 1954-1994 Predators changes
- 6. Why is New Zealand Successful?
- 7. How is the US advertising wool? New farmer campaign to increase flock population
- 8. Who Wants US Wool? LOHAS Localvores Designers Ar3sans Women are 85% of Consumer Market
- 9. Why people want local? 700 Willingness to pay 25% or more price markup for local 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Support ag and Perceived Safety Env. Benefits from Reduce fossil fuel local economy and Quality farms use Source: Iowa State University, Allan Ortiz 2010
- 10. How do they want their wool? Fabric Yarn Roving Raw Wool Home Furnishings Toys Garments Source: NAICS
- 11. Is there an opportunity here? 600,000+ sheep 3 million+ lbs of wool 71% of California 27.7% is 22 farmers have micron & finer 24 or less sheep No fine grade fiber processing in CA 2007 USDA Census
- 12. Perhaps there’s an opportunity? LOHAS is now 30% of total market Localvores spend $4.8 billion on local Increase in local cut and sew opera3ons Increase in labor US wool prices are prices abroad 60-75% of imported
- 13. What exactly is the opportunity? One million lbs of processed wool = $40+ million in potential revenue
- 14. How should we brand it? Sheep to Chic 100% Local
- 15. What products should we make? How much direct to consumer? How much fabric for designers?
- 16. What else could we make?
- 17. How should we sell it? Retail Online Wholesale Women-focused Partnerships brand experience
- 18. What infrastructure is needed? Weaving Tumbling Scouring Carding Spinning KniWng Picking Fel3ng Mobile Central Distributed
- 19. What is the material cycle? Supply Chain • Sheep farms • Natural dye farms Product Disposal Produc3on • Compost • Central mill • Repurposing to felt • Distributed mini-‐mills Distribu3on • Retail • Online
- 20. What is the business structure? California Wool Mill 44% of Coops Only 19% of are still in standard business after corporations 10 yrs survive 10 yrs
- 21. What would this look like? Coop owned Childcare for small children Access to artisan tools, equipment, and classes
- 22. Why is this so important? Economic opportunities for Only 6% of mothers mothers in Enable women to poverty receive public provide for their assistance children 25% of women with infants live in poverty 10 million mothers are underemployed
- 23. What and who do we know? Industry experts Designers and ar3sans Engineers We have tons of wool
- 24. What don’t we know? Quality of Tex3le Op3mal Distribu3on wool supply demand product
- 25. What are the next steps? Infrastructure Needs Consumer demand Producer Map Wool inventory
- 26. How can you get involved? Par3cipa3on Phone and Thoughts, Advisory in our online in-‐person sugges3ons, Seed funding board surveys interviews feedback Sign up to be contacted for an interview!
- 27. Thank you! Sources & Credits: Paige Green Photography American Sheep Industry Association Fibershed.com US Census Bureau USDA Iowa State University Mike Corn, Roswell Wool Laura M. Baughman University of California, Davis Food Commons Localvore.com Google Finance National Academy of Sciences Farm Bureau Australian Centre for International Economics