We get asked, reasonably, how we vet who we work with. Here's the actual list we use.
Fiber transparency. Can they tell us where the flax was grown and how it was processed? Vague answers are a disqualifier.
Sample durability. We wash and wear samples ourselves (repeatedly)before committing to an order. A fabric that looks good on delivery and pills after five washes doesn't make it into a product.
Order size fit. We look for workshops sized for small, considered runs, not factories that need mass-market volume to be worth their time.
Consistency across batches. Natural fiber varies more than synthetic material by nature, but a good supplier keeps that variation within a narrow, predictable range.
None of this is exotic. It's mostly just time, asking questions, requesting samples, and being willing to say no. That time is the actual cost behind "small-batch," more than any single ingredient or process.
