February 29, 2024 · Alabama ChaninPEOPLE AND PLANET
Who benefits from purchasing an Alabama Chanin garment? The short answer is “everyone,” but let’s take a closer look at who is impacted by the production and sale of our sustainable garments. If you’d like to learn even more, join us at the Project Threadways Symposium (virtually or in person) or read about our supply chain in detail here.
Organic cotton is grown using natural biological cycles and without harmful chemicals that can negatively affect wildlife and people. It accounts for roughly 1-2% of cotton worldwide, with only a fraction of production occurring in the United States. Since 2004, we’ve partnered with the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative (TOCMC) in Lubbock, Texas, to create our signature jersey and waffle fabrics. TOCMC is certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
From Texas, where the cotton is also ginned, it goes to North Carolina to be spun into yarn. Then it’s on to South Carolina for knitting, where it’s received by a fourth-generation, family-owned company that’s been in operation since 1938. The fabric is dyed in South Carolina, as well, using cold-process, environmentally-friendly dyes. Then it’s shipped to us at The Factory.
When a garment order is placed, the first stop is the cutting department. Each piece is cut by hand using scissors and our in-house patterns. If the style requires textile paint, it is sent to the stenciling department for hand-painting with one of our custom stencils. Hand-sewn styles are sent out with local artisans, while machine-sewn styles go to the sewing department. Once the garment is sewn, it is washed, inspected for quality, packed carefully, and shipped to our guest. Apart from hand-sewn styles, this entire process is done under one roof, from the sales floor to the shipping department.
One of the core tenets of Project Threadways, Alabama Chanin, and The School of Making is craft preservation and education. With access to rapidly-produced goods at our fingertips, the domestic arts (or as Natalie prefers to call them, “living arts”) are becoming lost in the hustle. Utilizing artisan craft is one of the ways we honor these age-old techniques, giving them new life in modernity, and working to pass them on to future generations.
When you purchase an Alabama Chanin garment or a kit from The School of Making, you’re supporting American farmers, ginners, spinners, knitters, and dyers. You’re funding a woman-owned, ethically-run small business, local artisans, and our vibrant and growing community of makers. You’re helping to maintain a U.S. supply chain of organic cotton and allowing us to continue with our mission, research, and education. And you’re contributing to the natural health of our region, country, and planet.
Thank you.