Care Symbol

This larger-than-life clothes tag honors the many people and places involved in the production of clothing today. We wear most of our clothes without any knowledge or experience of the person who raised the sheep, grew the cotton, or stitched the hem. Our clothes tags are only snippets of abstract information. We are far removed from particularities. How can we know that a garment was produced in a way that honors the health of workers and local ecologies if we do not know the story?

This giant clothes tag was hand-made with care - with attention to place and materials. The wool comes from Meridan Jacobs, a small sheep farm near Vacaville, CA run by Robin Lynde - shepherd, weaver, and teacher. Jacob sheep are a special, spotted breed. The brown wool in the giant tag is from the brown spots on the sheep and the white is from the white spots. I wove this on a little wooden loom made by my weaving teacher’s husband 40 years ago.

To learn more about Meridian Jacobs – to purchase their wool or attend open farm days – see www.meridianjacobs.com.

Footnote: Besides the many crafters in the US, there are only two woolen mills still producing domestic woolen fabric: Pendleton Woolen Mills and Woolrich.