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Weekly Fiber News ~ Patterns ~ History & Lore
March 7, 2026
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📰 The Fiber Feed: Top News
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Partnership Turns Pulp into Sustainable Fiber: In a major move for sustainable fashion, Finnish fiber company Spinnova has partnered with recycler Circulose to scale up production of bio-based textile fibers. Spinnova specializes in turning wood pulp into fiber, and Circulose uses a patented process to convert discarded textiles into pulp. Previously, Circulose sold that pulp to companies that used a chemical process to turn it into the final fiber product. Now, using Spinnova’s technology and Circulose’s pulp material, the two companies are creating a fiber with 100% recycled textiles and no harmful chemicals. | Read more at Textile World
Alpaca + AI = Sales:
A Wisconsin startup selling alpaca-wool socks says it has rapidly grown sales by using artificial intelligence to identify customer problems and generate targeted marketing. Hollow, the company founded by Brian Davis, uses AI tools that scan online forums like Reddit and YouTube to find complaints and conversations about socks. The company then feeds that information into a private AI system trained on its brand materials and customer reviews. It then generates tailored ad copy and marketing scripts (all with humans reviewing the final copy). | Read more at Bicycle Retailer
Company Creates Linen Replica: Unifi has launched Luxel, a new yarn technology that replicates the look and feel of natural linen using recycled polyester. According to Textile World, this fiber has the look and feel of linen with added performance durability and wicking capabilities. | Read more at Textile World
“Pattina Blue” Dominates 2026 Crochet Trends: In yet another move away from neutrals, the forecast for March 2026 is all about “Pattina Blue.” This deep, ocean-inspired hue is taking over the handmade world, alongside a shift toward airy spring layers. Designers are also encouraging makers to embrace “seasonless” crochet that works year-round rather than fast-fashion pieces. | Read more at Hoooked Yarn
Neanderthals: The Original Fiber Artists? Archaeological findings in France suggest that fiber technology is far older than we thought. Scientists discovered a 50,000-year-old cord fragment made from twisted inner-bark fibers, proving that Neanderthals possessed the cognitive complexity required for spinning and knotting long before modern humans dominated the craft. | Read more at NPR
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🐰 Fiber Animals: Meet the Hippity Hoppity Makers
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Not all Angora rabbits produce the same kind of fiber. The breed you choose affects staple length, softness, guard hair content, grooming needs and how the wool is harvested.
English Angora: The fluffiest of the Angoras, English rabbits are covered in wool from nose to toe—including their face, ears and feet. Their fiber has a very low guard hair content, which refers to the coarser hairs that protect the smoother fibers. With a low guard hair content, these rabbits produce exceptionally soft, delicate yarn, but the dense coat also mats easily and requires frequent grooming. | Read more on Practical Self Reliance
French Angora: A favorite for small fiber farms and homesteads, French Angoras have a “clean” face and front feet, making grooming easier. Their wool contains more guard hairs than English Angora, which adds durability and creates the distinctive “halo” effect in spun yarn. | Read more on page 64 of Spin Off
German Angora: Producing more wool per year than any other variety, German Angoras are bred specifically for wool yield, which can be about 2.5 pounds a year. Unlike many other Angoras, they do not shed their coats naturally, so the fiber is usually harvested by shearing every few months. | Read more on PetsMond
Satin Angora: Satin Angoras are prized for their silky sheen, which is created by a genetic trait that makes their hair shafts translucent, reflecting light and giving the fiber a glass-like luster. They typically produce less fiber than other Angoras, and these rabbits require daily brushing to avoid matting. | Read more on Northern Nester
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Subversive, Skilled, Sublime: Fiber Art by Women: Opening at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, this exhibition brings together works from the museum’s collection that reframe fiber traditions as powerful contemporary art. Featuring artists like Faith Ringgold and Sheila Hicks, the show highlights quilts, woven sculptures and experimental textiles that challenge the long-held notion of fiber work as merely “women’s craft.”| Read more at the Smithsonian American Art Museum
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