Local Cloth

What Local Cloth does

Local Cloth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2011/2012 and headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, within the River Arts District. It operates as a regional fiber-arts hub serving the Blue Ridge Mountains Fibershed — a roughly 100-mile radius around Asheville — by connecting fiber farmers, processors, artists, educators, and consumers of handmade fiber goods. Its core products are membership subscriptions (700+ members), recurring signature events (FiberFestival, Yarn Crawl, Anything Fiber Sale, Twelve-by-Twelve Fiber Show), educational workshops and youth programs (Teen Sewing Camp, Farm to Fabric Kids Camp), and a physical retail studio that sells locally produced fiber goods and rents studio space.

The organization's business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack rather than a single transactional engine. Income is generated from membership dues, workshop and class fees, retail sales at the Asheville studio, event ticket and vendor revenue, studio rentals, donations, and fundraising (including the recently established Judi Jetson Charitable Fund, 2026). Operations are lean — 5 paid employees supported by 10 board members and an extensive volunteer base — which keeps the cost structure aligned with community-nonprofit scale rather than venture-backed growth.

In September 2024, Hurricane Helene flooded the Local Cloth studio and destroyed its Handwork Exhibit, representing a material physical-asset shock. Despite this, the organization has maintained programming and is rebuilding, with continued growth in membership and an expansion into youth programming. The organization's competitive position rests on its embedded regional network, multi-decade brand in the Asheville fiber-arts community, and physical presence in the River Arts District — assets that are difficult for isolated farms, galleries, or schools to replicate but that limit geographic scalability beyond the immediate Fibershed.

Name

Local Cloth

Legal name

Local Cloth, Inc.

Website

https://localcloth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Local Cloth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Asheville, NC that connects fiber farmers, artists, educators, and consumers across the Blue Ridge Mountains Fibershed through membership, workshops, signature events, youth programs, and a River Arts District retail studio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fiber Arts Education and Community Programming

akta.pro primary industry

Textile & Fiber Arts Classes (Weaving, Knitting, Embroidery, Dyeing) (THAJAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Quilting & Patchwork Shops (CRALADAB)

Keywords

• Fiber arts education
• Textile arts workshops
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Artisan retail shop
• Regional fibershed network

Headquarters

HQ city

Asheville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide access to studio space, interest groups, retail shop discounts, and member-only events. The organization uses Wild Apricot membership software.
2. Workshop Fees: Revenue from paid educational workshops ranging from beginner to advanced levels in various fiber arts including knitting, weaving, sashiko, natural dyeing, and more.
3. Retail Shop Sales: Sells local fiber farm products and work from local fiber artists including yarn, roving, batts, fabric, and finished fiber art items.
4. Event Revenue: Vendor booth fees for events like Anything Fiber Sale, auction proceeds from Twelve-by-Twelve Fiber Show, and ticket sales for workshops and field trips.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.接受 equipment donations, stock gifts, and contributions to designated funds like the Judi Jetson Charitable Fund. Also accepts volunteer time.
6. Studio Rental: Rental income from private groups renting studio space for their own meetings and workshops, such as Mountain Art Quilters and Design Divas.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Local Cloth is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports and sustains the regional fiber and textile arts economy in the Blue Ridge Mountains through educational workshops, peer-led interest groups, a retail shop, signature annual events and exhibits, youth summer camps, and studio rentals. It operates as a community hub connecting fiber farmers, small-scale processors, artists, educators, and enthusiasts across a 100-mile radius around Asheville, NC. Members and non-members pay for workshops, camps, vendor booths, and merchandise, while donations sustain core operations.

Product overview

Local Cloth operates as a volunteer-led nonprofit network offering a portfolio of interconnected fiber arts programs and services. The core offerings include educational workshops teaching various fiber arts (knitting, sashiko, weaving, natural dyeing), peer-led interest groups for ongoing skill-sharing, a retail shop selling local fiber products and artisan work, and annual signature events (FiberFestival, Anything Fiber Sale, Twelve-by-Twelve Fiber Show). Youth programming includes summer camps for children and teens, while studio rental provides revenue and community access. The organization functions as a membership-based community with programming available to both members and non-members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Twelve-by-Twelve Fiber Show: Local Cloth's annual exhibit celebrating the creativity and skill of member fiber artists. Each submitted work must fit within a 12-inch by 12-inch square space. This exhibit also serves as the organization's signature fundraiser.
• Blue Ridge Blankets
• FiberFestival
• Judi Jetson Charitable Fund

Products and services

• Workshops Educational programming offering instruction in various fiber arts including knitting, sashiko, weaving, natural dyeing, felting, and garment sewing, ranging from beginner to intermediate levels and taught by local and visiting instructors.
• Interest Groups Peer-led regular gatherings for fiber enthusiasts including Stitch & Stab Circle, Sashiko & Boro Interest Group, Garment Sewing Interest Group, Spinning Study Group, Natural Dye Interest Group, Tapestry Study Group, and V-Handwork Circle.
• Local Cloth Retail Shop Physical retail space at 408 Depot Street in Asheville's River Arts District selling local fiber farm products and handcrafted items from regional fiber artists, including yarn, roving, batts, fabric, and finished fiber art items. Open daily 11am-5pm.
• Twelve-by-Twelve Fiber Show Annual exhibit and fundraiser showcasing member fiber artists in which each submitted work must fit within a 12-inch by 12-inch square space; includes an auction of donated artworks to support Local Cloth's programs.
• Handwork Exhibit Special exhibit featuring fiber pieces emphasizing the human hand, originally displayed in 2024 at the studio and now viewable online.
• Farm to Fabric Kids Summer Camp Week-long day camp for children aged 8-13 offering opportunities to meet fiber animals and learn felting, paper-making, spinning, dyeing, knitting, and weaving.
• Teen Sewing Summer Camp Three-day camp for teens aged 13-18 who are comfortable with sewing machines, offering independent projects and guided group projects.
• FiberFestival Annual signature fibershed heritage event and artisan market held at Hickory Nut Gap Farm in Fairview, NC, celebrating the full fiber life cycle from farmers and dye plants to artists and makers.
• Anything Fiber Sale Annual fiber yard sale event held at AB Tech Conference Center where vendors sell surplus yarns, fabric, fiber tools, looms, and materials.
• Yarn Crawl Annual event as part of Western North Carolina Yarn Crawl, featuring special promotions and fiber products at the Local Cloth Retail Shop.
• World Wide Knit in Public Day Annual celebration of public knitting held in Asheville's River Arts District, featuring yarn bombing and make-and-take activities.
• Studio Rental Rental of Local Cloth studio space for personal use or hosting private classes and group meetings; available to members and external parties such as Mountain Art Quilters and Design Divas.
• Annual Membership Annual membership providing access to studio space, interest groups, retail shop discounts, member directory, and member-only events, managed through Wild Apricot membership software.
• Blue Ridge Blankets A product line/program of Local Cloth focused on the Blue Ridge Mountains Fibershed.

Quantifiable outcome

• Network of 700+ members across the Blue Ridge Mountains Fibershed
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Southern Highland Craft GuildcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Cloth is an educational member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild and participates in the semi-annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands at Harrah's Cherokee Center in Asheville, hosting vendor and information booths with fiber demonstrations and member artwork.
• River Arts District Artists (RADA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Cloth participates in RADA's annual theme exhibitions including 'Who Am I, Who Are We?' with rotating monthly window displays at their studio location in the River Arts District.
• Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair (SAFF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Cloth hosts a vendor and information booth at the annual SAFF event at WNC Agricultural Center in Fletcher, NC, featuring make-and-take activities, demonstrations, and local fiber from members.
• Meridian Mill HouseminorOthersSpecialty yarn retailer located inside Meridian Specialty Yarn Group's spinning mill in North Carolina. Local Cloth organizes field trips for members to tour the facility and purchase yarn products.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Southern Highland Craft Guild: A regional craft nonprofit based in Asheville, NC that Local Cloth partners with directly. Both organizations support traditional Appalachian craft education, exhibitions, and craft fairs through membership and programming models.
• Handweavers Guild of America: A national membership-based nonprofit dedicated to fiber arts education in weaving, spinning, and dyeing. Comparable to Local Cloth as a fiber arts education organization offering workshops, publications, and community for fiber artists.
• The Knitting Guild Association: A membership-based nonprofit focused on knitting education and community through programs, master knitting certifications, and publications. Closely comparable to Local Cloth in delivering fiber arts education to a community of makers.
• Stitches Events: A producer of fiber arts conventions and education events featuring classes, market halls, and designer-led workshops. Comparable to Local Cloth's event-driven workshop and festival programming model.
• WEBS - America's Yarn Store: A large yarn retailer that pairs extensive fiber product sales with on-site and online classes. Comparable to Local Cloth's combination of retail shop and educational workshop offerings.
• Vogue Knitting: A fiber arts media brand producing Vogue Knitting Live events, magazines, and educational content for knitters and crocheters. Comparable to Local Cloth in delivering fiber arts education and signature events.

Others

• Craft Industry Alliance: An industry support organization providing business education, research, and networking for craft professionals. Adjacent to Local Cloth's mission of supporting fiber artists and small-scale producers.
• Ravelry: An online community and pattern database for knitters, crocheters, weavers, and spinners. Comparable to Local Cloth as a hub connecting fiber artists, but operating as a digital platform rather than a physical nonprofit.

Broad incumbents

• Lion Brand Yarn: One of the largest yarn manufacturers in the US, with a broad retail and education platform spanning patterns, tutorials, and kits. A broad incumbent that overlaps with Local Cloth's fiber arts education and retail footprint but at national scale.
• Yarnspirations: A large multi-brand yarn company (Bernat, Caron, Patons, Red Heart) offering patterns, tutorials, and educational content. Comparable as a broad incumbent providing fiber arts education at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/localclothinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Local Cloth