Weaving with Traceable Textiles

Local artisans turn farm byproducts into garments

The smell of bubbling herbal teas and laughter hangs in the air of a converted house on 95 Street. Here, a talented collection of artisans convert wool from local farms into comfortable and stylish blankets, decor, and garments. Best of all, every stitch is made traceable from the farm to your door.

Traceable means that every material in the supply chain is visible to the consumer, allowing you to make an educated decision on what you purchase. In the age of fast fashion and big box stores, a traceable system ensures transparency and ethical standards at every step.

While specially bred sheep like Merino or Rambouillet are raised for their expensive and premium wool, local farmers who raise hardier breeds for meat often see wool as a wasteful byproduct. As a result, mountains of unused wool fill barns and stables in the Edmonton region, offering master weavers like Alberta Avenue’s Shannon Nelson an opportunity to reduce waste while weaving beautiful fabrics.

A hand-operated loom at the Traceable Textiles Alberta Avenue store.

“Traceable Textiles began as a COVID business. We wanted to find a way to share local knitting and yarns with the community,” she says, sharing her story with an open-house crowd.

With over 20 years of crafting experience, Nelson pursued a master’s degree in weaving from Olds College. As a thesis project, she employed the skills of local farmer Kalea Turner Beckman to help her source and convert waste wool into a high-quality material. Shortly after, her thesis project grew into a steady commission-based business where nine stores would purchase her hand-spun wool.

“The nice thing about working with natural materials is that you can make it as challenging as you want to,” she says, overlooking her beautiful wooden loom.

Together with her business partner Kylie Boychuck and others in the Edmonton Weavers’ Guild, their team follows shearers through March and April to collect fresh “skirts” from sheep farms. Suitable cuts of wool are then blended, cleaned, and brought to an industrial spinner in Carstairs, AB. After six months, the now-workable wool is returned to Edmonton, naturally dyed, and worked by hand into various products.

A family-owned sheep farm in Leduc County. Without local wool workers, the thick coats will be sheared in the spring and go to waste — often to the frustration of shepherds who value sustainability.

From hand-dying wool with dried flowers to spinning entirely on hand-powered machinery, Traceable Textiles honours sustainability throughout its small operation. Their business model puts money into the hands of local farmers for byproducts while reducing the strain on our waste collection system, resulting in beauty at no additional cost to the environment.

“If your parents or their parents lived on farms in Alberta, you know the importance and the beauty of creating something from nothing. That’s what we’re doing by working with waste wool. Creating something from nothing,” Nelson says proudly.

Shannon Nelson demonstrates steeping marigold, tansy, and coreopsis flowers into a natural yellow dye.

The quality of their handmade wool products cannot be overstated. From softness to durability, their fabrics match or outperform cotton and specialty wool while keeping money in the local economy. You can find their products online or in person at their store (11602 95 St) or Gather Textiles (12155 Fort Rd NW).

With various classes and workshops to participate in, Traceable Textiles is helping locals create delightful works that will last for generations. Interested readers are encouraged to join the Traceable Textiles e-newsletter, where their team shares important dates for community classes, loom lessons, and seasonal sales.