{"product_id":"raw-material-working-wool-in-the-west-paperback","title":"Raw Material: Working Wool in the West - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eStephany Wilkes\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFollow a sweater with an \"Italian Merino\" label back far enough and chances are its life began not in Milan, but in Montana. Many people want to look behind the label and know where their clothes come from, but the textile supply chain-one of the most toxic on the planet-remains largely invisible. In \u003ci\u003eRaw Material, \u003c\/i\u003e Stephany Wilkes tells the story of American wool through her own journey to becoming a certified sheep shearer. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e What begins as a search for local yarn becomes a dirty, unlikely, and irresistible side job. Wilkes leaves her high tech job for a way of life considered long dead in the American West. Along the way, she meets ornery sheep that weigh more than she does, carbon-sequestering ranchers, landless grazing operators, rare breed stewards, and small-batch yarn makers struggling with drought, unfair trade agreements, and faceless bureaucracies as they work to bring eco-friendly fleece to market. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eRaw Material\u003c\/i\u003e demonstrates that the back must break to clothe the body, and that excellence often comes by way of exhaustion. With humor and humility, Wilkes follows wool from the farm to the factory, through the hands of hardworking Americans trying to change the culture of clothing. Her story will appeal to anyone interested in the fiber arts or the textile industry, and especially to environmentally conscious consumers, as it extends the concerns of the sustainable food movement to fleece, fiber, and fashion.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eStephany Wilkes\u003c\/b\u003e is a sheep shearer certified by the University of California Agricultural and Natural Extension Center, a wool classer certified by the American Sheep Industry Association, and the president of the Northern California Fibershed Cooperative. Her writing has appeared in \u003ci\u003eThe Billfold, The Ag Mag, Hobby Farms, Midwestern Gothic, \u003c\/i\u003e and other publications. Stephany speaks about sheep and wool terroir at numerous yarn shops, fiber festivals, schools, and events. She lives and gardens in San Francisco.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 312\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.6 x 8.9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e October 20, 2018\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51758112702752,"sku":"9780870719516","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0974\/9764\/5344\/files\/32b3345e45fef61c0515d5be992580aa.webp?v=1780118343","url":"https:\/\/ebocreations.com\/products\/raw-material-working-wool-in-the-west-paperback","provider":"The E-Book Oasis LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}