Subscriber Exclusive
The Green, Wooly Mission of the Green Mountain Spinnery
Founded over 40 years ago to support the local wool economy and process yarn with environmentally responsible principles, The Green Mountain Spinnery’s work has never been more timely.
In 1981, the Green Mountain Spinnery was founded in Putney, Vermont, with a lofty three-part goal: to create yarns of the highest quality, to help sustain regional sheep farming, and to develop environmentally sound ways to process natural fibers. Housed in a building that began life as a gas station and operating with vintage equipment, the Spinnery has stayed true to that original goal while becoming an integral part of the farm-to-fiber community.
Where it Began
The idea for the Green Mountain Spinnery was kindled in the mid-1970s in a Macro-Analysis study group, in which concerned people gathered to consider big, global issues and think about how local action could have an impact. (For more information about the Macro-Analysis movement, visit START.) Three of the four founders of the Spinnery were participants in this group. They decided to address the lack of a local facility for small-scale wool processing.
There were plenty of sheep in the area, and the back-to-the-land movement had resulted in increased interest in raising sheep, but there was no access to local processing and spinning. The wool was being sold for pennies to be used for things such as mattress stuffing. They thought they could do better.
In 1981, the Green Mountain Spinnery was founded in Putney, Vermont, with a lofty three-part goal: to create yarns of the highest quality, to help sustain regional sheep farming, and to develop environmentally sound ways to process natural fibers. Housed in a building that began life as a gas station and operating with vintage equipment, the Spinnery has stayed true to that original goal while becoming an integral part of the farm-to-fiber community.
Where it Began
The idea for the Green Mountain Spinnery was kindled in the mid-1970s in a Macro-Analysis study group, in which concerned people gathered to consider big, global issues and think about how local action could have an impact. (For more information about the Macro-Analysis movement, visit START.) Three of the four founders of the Spinnery were participants in this group. They decided to address the lack of a local facility for small-scale wool processing.
There were plenty of sheep in the area, and the back-to-the-land movement had resulted in increased interest in raising sheep, but there was no access to local processing and spinning. The wool was being sold for pennies to be used for things such as mattress stuffing. They thought they could do better. [PAYWALL]
The Spinnery’s founders were socially conscious, progressive, idealistic, and optimistic. None of them had any actual experience with operating a wool mill.
They scoured the Northeast for used equipment that would fit the constraints of their budget and their space. Their carder dates from 1916, while the spinning and plying frames are from around 1950. With the generous guidance of local people who had worked in large mills, and with a lot of trial and error, they learned how to take wool from raw fleece to finished yarn.
The Spinnery crew in 2023.
The Spinnery Today
The Green Mountain Spinnery currently has five worker/owners, one of whom is a founder. They process about 11,000 pounds of fiber a year, producing yarn for individual farmers, yarn shops, and for sale directly to knitters. The Spinnery also creates custom small-batch breed-specific yarns for several popular hand-dyers. Unlike most commercial yarns, The Spinnery’s yarns are woolen-spun, creating yarns which are lofty, light, and warm.
All their fiber is grown in North America, with about 40% coming from New England sheep farms. The only non-natural fiber they use is Tencel, a semi-synthetic cellulose fiber, which is manufactured using environmentally friendly processes.
In keeping with their original goals, the Spinnery is one of the few Certified Organic wool mills in the United States. No harsh chemicals are used in processing; vegetable-based soaps are used for scouring, and they use canola oil-based spinning oil. Not only is this better for the planet, the gentle processing also preserves the natural sheen and resilience of the fibers.
The Spinnery’s 1916 carder is still hard at work nearly every day.
No dyeing is done at the Spinnery. Their colors are made with fiber scoured and dyed “in-the-wool” at Bollman Hat Company in Pennsylvania. These fibers are blended and spun at The Spinnery to create a rainbow of beautiful heathery colors ranging from subtle to vibrant.
The Spinnery’s best-selling yarn is Mountain Mohair, a worsted-weight-blend of fine wool from Rambouillet/Columbia sheep raised on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains; medium wool sourced from herds in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts; and yearling mohair from flocks in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Vermont.
Yarn and knitted samples on display in The Spinnery’s mill shop.
Kate Solomon, a worker/owner who joined the Spinnery in 2013, said she thinks their undyed organic yarns are often underappreciated. Knitters are drawn to the colors of yarns like Mountain Mohair and Sylvan Spirit, but their three organic yarns come from sheep raised according to organic principles. The animals and the land are healthier, and these yarns represent the kind of stewardship that is critical to healing the environment. By choosing these yarns, every knitter can take part in supporting this work.
The Spinnery offers these organic yarns:
• DK-weight yarn spun from fibers grown by Tierra Wools in New Mexico.
• Worsted-weight yarn sourced from Open View Farm or Flying Dog Farm, both in Vermont.
• Worsted-weight yarn sourced from the flock at Noon Family Sheep Farm in Maine.
After more than 40 years, the Spinnery is facing a big decision: should they continue to maintain and repair their vintage machinery or invest in new, more efficient equipment? While there is certainly romance in the idea of an antique carding machine or heirloom spinning frame, replacement parts are nearly impossible to find, as are people with the skills and knowledge to keep these machines humming.
Can a company honor the history of its founding and remain viable for the next generation of worker/owners? With a clear eye on the original mission, the Green Mountain Spinnery is answering this question each day.
You can find yarns from the Green Mountain Spinnery at local yarn stores throughout the country, at fiber festivals, and on their website at spinnery.com. If you find yourself in Southeastern Vermont, drop in to the mill store to shop the yarns in person.
Sandi Rosner (she/her) learned to knit in the late 1970s from the instructions in the back of a magazine. She now works as a freelance designer, technical editor, writer and teacher. When Sandi isn’t knitting, she usually has her nose in a book. Find more of Sandi’s work at sandirosner.substack.com.
