People We Adore: Ladianne and Sheri

A: Sheri and I have been in the yarn world since we wrote a business plan for our company in 2016. Since then we have grown from owning and operating a retail yarn shop to focusing on 100% USA made, sustainable, responsible luxury fashion accessories and also 100% American made, hand-dyed, luxury yarn for knitters and crocheters.

A: Our superpower is a combination of vision and grit. Five years ago, when we started hand dyeing yarn for knitters, crocheters, and other crafters, we really wanted to use American yarns but didn’t find yarn we thought would resonate with our customers. Shortly after we got started with that part of our business, a representative from Meridian Mill House came to the shop we had at the time to ask if we would carry their yarn. We told her that if they started making undyed yarn, using 100% USA merino wool that was worsted spun (for smoothness), we would love to buy it. Several months later we became their first customers for Shaniko wool, which is dual certified under both the Responsible Wool Standard and the Nativa-Regen certification program.

In 2022 we began discussing the possibility of creating American made wool products like beanies and scarves. Then, 2023 brought our move into a new studio space, but it also brought a bunch of challenges that really tested our resolve. We know what we're doing matters - that the American wool industry is really important to the national economy, and it is also an area of huge potential for carbon savings through sequestration on grazing lands, and also through the minimizing of air shipping for raw materials and goods.

A: Owning a business can be incredibly stressful and overwhelming, but we find returning to a place of gratitude is the best way to get recentered and refocused. It calms the mind and stops you from running toward negative rabbit holes.

A: For Ladianne - Crown . A lifetime of learning, growing, questioning, and creating make this chakra resonate most clearly. For Sheri - heart. Sheri is the most heart-centered person I know. Seriously. She will fight to protect her family, her friends. She will fight to protect vulnerable and disenfranchised people. That is what makes her a genuine hero.