Welcome to Montana Fibershed

Connecting Montana Folks with Montana Fiber

Our Mission

Montana Fibershed is a grassroots, non-profit organization that supports Montana-based natural fiber and dye systems. We seek to connect producers to end users of fiber, to encourage new and strengthen existing textile manufacturing systems in Montana, and to do so in regenerative and sustainable ways that support the health of our people, our soils, and the landscapes and economies that sustain us.

Connections

Montana Fibershed exists to support and promote the growth of a regional fiber and textile economy across the state of Montana. This will be accomplished by outreach and education targeted to producers, consumers, artists and makers, manufacturers, and the general public with the goal of building connections across the state that bring together the producers and users of Montana’s diverse natural fibers..

Economic Development

We specifically seek to strengthen the capacity of Montana’s fiber community to build a resilient and lasting infrastructure which supports a sustainable and accessible natural textile economy in the state. This economy includes those involved in fiber farming and ranching, natural dyeing, and the processing, milling, fabricating and marketing of Montana-grown fibers. We will work towards meeting our objectives and upholding our mission statement through outreach, networking, educational offerings, events, marketing, and advocacy.

Sustainability and Stewardship

Montana Fibershed will also work to promote the understanding that our raw materials come from the land and that stewardship of our lands and textile traditions is crucial for all Montanans. As such, we will look for opportunities to share information about sustainable production, processing, and use of fibers, and encourage the exchange of information regarding these practices between individuals and businesses located within our fibershed.

What is a Fibershed?

Just as a watershed defines an area which serves as a catchment and drainage for a given landscape, funneling rainwater and flowing water to a common outlet, a fibershed is a geographically defined area in which fiber resources (wool, flax, hemp, cotton, etc.) are produced and then used by the people living within its boundaries.

The fibershed movement seeks to connect individuals and businesses to their local fiber resources, thus reducing energy expenditures associated with the transport and processing of fibers, while at the same time strengthening local communities through building connections, fiber economies, and sustainability within the textile system.

The Montana Fibershed encompasses all of the state of Montana and includes a diverse fiber base and a thriving community of weavers, spinners, processors, artisans, and businesses who benefit from our state’s locally-grown fiber. "A Fibershed is a geographical landscape that defines and gives boundaries to a natural textile resource base. Awareness of this bioregional designation engenders appreciation, connectivity, and sensitivity for the life-giving resources within our homelands." (from fibershed.org)

From Our Blog

Not Just Slow; but ANCIENT Fashion

Fast fashion is a term we use at Montana Fibershed to describe the rapid fire change over in the modern fashion industry. For example, Forever 21 is a model built on fast fashion; sometimes turning over inventory as much as once a week. The trend creates happy consumers, but at a high cost. Fibershed prefers to think about slow fashion. A term that applies to regenerative choices in the industry. Fashion is “slow” not only for the time it takes to create, but also how long it

Jon Moore

Nov 183 min read