Leslie Davidson

Jordan and Nicole Haddad, brother/sister duo of Philly based slow fashion brand, Lobo Mau, met Dave Cook and Heidi Custer, co-owners of the eco-friendly textile mill, Tuscarora Mills, about one year ago during one of All Together Now PA’s monthly Clothing & Textile Coalition meetings.  This introduction, initiated by coalition leader, Rachel Higgins, was exactly what Jordan and Nicole had been searching for – mills that could manufacture their textiles locally in PA. 

We had wanted to work with local mills for a long time, but didn’t have the relationships until joining All Together Now’s Clothing & Textile Coalition.” 

-Jordan Haddad, Lobo Mau Co-owner and CEO

“I contacted Dave and Heidi after one of our coalition meetings during a time when none of our suppliers were answering their phones,” says Jordan, Lobo Mau CEO and Co-owner. ”Due to supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic, it was virtually impossible to source materials, even within the US, but luckily we were able to procure deadstock cotton from Tuscarora Mills’ which we used to make masks.”

“Sourcing materials locally has always been a dream of ours.” Jordan continues, “We had wanted to work with local mills for a long time, but didn’t have the relationships until joining All Together Now’s Clothing & Textile Coalition.” 

This new relationship between the two Pennsylvania based businesses eventually led to the production of Lobo Mau’s Spring 2022 collection, which launched on Saturday, March 12, 2022 and features sustainable home decor, a first for the fashion brand.  

“Every year we try to up our game in sustainability. Our new goal is to become more circular. I wanted to design guilt-free home decor” says Nicole, Designer and Co-Owner.

Their new collection, manufactured entirely in Pennsylvania, includes up-cycled furniture made with hemp/organic cotton from Tuscarora Mills and upholstered by Jen Tiberi as well as other home items such as tufted recycled wool rugs hand made by Land of Plenty, zero waste pillows stuffed with shredded Lobo Mau textile (a case study with University of Delaware’s Design Researcher Kelly Cobb) handmade ceramic lamps crafted by Centerpeak, and new original women’s, men’s, and plus size clothing styles made from organic USA cotton, also sourced from Tuscarora Mills.  

 “Overconsumption and waste is a major problem, and I didn’t want to be another contributor,” says Jordan. “By expanding into home decor, we are able to close the loop by down-cycling our production remnants; using this shred to stuff pillows, as well as up-cycle things that already existed in the world – like furniture, deadstock fabric, and recycled wool.”

This important connection between values-aligned PA small businesses is just one example of the amazing work Clothing & Textile Coalition leader, Rachel Higgins, has been tirelessly facilitating. In February, after many months of research, Rachel launched the first part of the clothing and textile supply chain map on our website, a project partially funded by Fibershed, a nationwide nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop regional fiber systems that build soil & protect the health of our biosphere. The map is a free resource for businesses in the industry who would like to easily find other small farmers and businesses to source their materials from in and around PA. 

Additionally, in collaboration with Keystone Development Center, the coalition is investigating the potential to form co-ops or other ways in which we can support fiber farmers in the region. 

When asked why she is so focused on connecting local farmers and businesses in PA, Higgins had an easy answer: “There are a lot of people with incredible skills in our area who are not being paid what they deserve. It’s important we support local entrepreneurs and help each other to succeed. Local supply chains allow transparency in how workers are treated and if they are paid living wages.” 

Judy Wicks, Founder of All Together Now PA, piggybacks Higgin’s sentiment, adding, “Building local supply chains that produce our basic needs close to home moves power and wealth from outside corporations to our own communities, increasing regional self-reliance and resiliency.”  

You can shop Lobo Mau’s  new collection online at Lobomau.com and at its flagship brick and mortar, Lobo Mau Flagship, located at 700 S 6th St., Philadelphia 19147.

One-of-a-kind up-cycled furniture pieces can be shopped at The Modern Republic at 1600 W Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA.

Click here for more information on our Clothing&Textile Coalition.

Want to get involved? Check out our events calendar to attend future in person events.

Upcoming Clothing&Textile Coalition Events:

• April 21st– Sustainable Fashion Week x ATN-PA Discussion Panel at Building Bok
• April 24th– Sustainable Fashion Week X ATN-PA Clothing Swap at The Discovery Center
• April 25th- Hemp Fiber to Fabric Zoom Meeting
• May 19th– ATN-PA X Walnut Club Clothing Swap at FabScrap/Bok Bar

Everyday, each of us wakes up and picks out an outfit to wear for the day. From our underwear to our jacket, we identify with the clothes we choose to put on our bodies; they make us feel comfortable and give us a sense of individuality. While some of us put a lot of thought into our outfits, we rarely think about the origin of the fabric itself and the many steps it goes through before it becomes our clothing.

When it comes to natural fibers, one must remember that it all starts from a little seed or animal, a living thing which must be tended to and cared for by it’s farmer to enable it to grow, be harvested, and eventually turned into usable fiber. This fiber is then cleaned, spun into yarn, woven or knitted into a textile, then dyed, cut, and finally sewn into a garment, all before it makes its way into our closets. 

All Together Now PA’s Clothing and Textiles Coalition is working to build local supply chains that connect fiber farming with the reemerging hemp and flax industries. This mission has led us to partner with the Pennsylvania Flax Project, a collaboration between Kitchen Garden Textiles and Kneehigh Farm, on our upcoming Flax Field Dinner.  Just like ATN-PA, the PA Flax Project is committed to uniting urban and rural communities to build local self-reliance in fiber and textiles, creating greater prosperity for our farmers and local makers.

Why is flax important?

Flax is the plant used to make linen, a beautiful textile that, like hemp, is long lasting, breathable, antimicrobial, absorbent, extremely durable and has a rich history in the state of Pennsylvania. Flax grows easily in the PA region and does not require any harmful pesticides. Not only is it a fast crop for farmers to grow (less than 3 months), it also remediates the soil by removing lead. Because of this, flax fiber serves as a great case study for a fully local supply chain for textiles in PA.

How does The Flax Project help to create a local supply chain?

The PA Flax Project is working to revive the textile industry in Pennsylvania. Flax production has the ability to recreate our once vibrant textile economy and bring back localization to our clothing. While linen is no longer manufactured locally, we do have a wide variety of yarn mills and weavers all around the state of Pennsylvania, which we aim to bring together and unite in our shared mission of creating a fully local supply chain for this sustainable textile. 

Click here to reserve your seat for our Flax Field Dinner on July 11th, a fundraising event supporting the Pennsylvania Flax Project.

Written by Rachel Mednick Higgins, edited by Leslie Davidson