Los Ojos Hand Weavers Llc

What Los Ojos Hand Weavers Llc does

Los Ojos Hand Weavers LLC operates as Tierra Wools, an artisan weaving cooperative and retail business founded in July 1983 in Los Ojos, New Mexico, and relocated to Chama, NM in 2019. The company specializes in traditional Rio Grande style hand-weaving using walking looms designed by Hans Leitner and built by Cruz Aguilar, with wool sourced locally from heritage Navajo-Churro and Rambouillet sheep raised in Northern New Mexico mountain meadows. Yarns are processed in-house (skirting, scouring, carding, spinning on treadle wheels) and dyed using traditional natural plant dyes — cochineal, madder root, and indigo — applied over piñon wood fires. Current owners Molly and Antonio Manzanares, lifelong ranchers and master weavers descended from Spanish settlers in the Rio Grande Valley, operate the business from the historic T.D. Burns Mercantile building. The company preserves a curriculum co-developed with Rachel Brown and Maria Varela in the 1980s, and maintains a Navajo-Churro breeding program in collaboration with Utah State University.

The product portfolio centers on hand-dyed and undyed Churro wool yarns ($18–$29 per 4oz skein), Cormo wool, fine apparel wool, Connie's Blend rug yarn, and warp yarns, alongside handwoven textiles — rugs, blankets, pillows, and tapestries — produced by community weavers and ranging from $145 to over $1,600. Supplementary lines include weaving equipment (looms, shuttles, spindles), Churro roving, felting and wool painting kits, organic Shepherd's Lamb wool blankets, felted Churro home goods, folk art, and a curated set of third-party artisan products (dryer balls, soaps, slippers, hydrosols). A weaving school offers multi-day immersive courses in beginning weaving, tapestry weaving, natural hand-dyeing, and warping at $150–$825 per student, capped at 4–5 students per class.

Tierra Wools runs a direct-to-consumer model through three channels: a physical showroom and working workshop in Chama (Mon–Sat 9am–5pm), a global e-commerce site at handweavers.com with online-only bulk yarn discounts, and on-site class registration. Target segments are artisan fiber enthusiasts, collectors of authentic Southwestern textiles, and educational tourists seeking heritage craft immersion. Marketing emphasizes Instagram (@tierra_wools_nm), email newsletters, blog storytelling, and a referral partnership with Weaver's Nest lodging. There are no third-party resellers, no wholesale distribution, and no external investors.

Name

Los Ojos Hand Weavers Llc

Legal name

Los Ojos Hand Weavers LLC

Website

https://handweavers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tierra Wools (Los Ojos Hand Weavers LLC) is a New Mexico artisan cooperative producing hand-dyed Churro wool yarns, Rio Grande style handwoven textiles, and heritage craft weaving classes, serving fiber enthusiasts, art collectors, and educational tourists through a Chama showroom and e-commerce site.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Handwoven Wool Textiles

NAICS

Fabric Mills (3132), Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills (3131)

SIC

Textile Mill Products (2200), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Woven Fabrics (CRAAAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Greige Woven Fabric Mills (IMAOABAA)

Keywords

• Handwoven wool textiles
• Heritage yarn products
• Weaving instruction classes
• Natural dyeing services
• Traditional fiber crafts

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Ojos

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wool and Yarn Products: Sale of hand-dyed and natural yarn products including Churro yarn, Cormo wool, fine apparel wool, blanket warp, rug warp, and roving/fleece. Products range from $6 sample cards to $97+ for specialty warps.
2. Handwoven Textiles: Sale of handwoven items including rugs, blankets, pillows, and tapestries created by resident artists and consigned weavers. Prices range from $145 for pillows to $1,600+ for major rugs.
3. Weaving Classes: Multi-day classes (4-day courses) teaching beginning weaving, tapestry weaving, natural hand-dyeing, and warping techniques. Classes priced at $150-$825 per student, limited to 4-5 students per session.
4. Bulk Yarn Sales: Volume discounts for yarn purchases: 10% off over $300, 15% off over $400, 20% off over $500 for Acid-Dyed and Undyed Shepherd's Lamb yarns.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Los Ojos Hand Weavers LLC operates Tierra Wools, a hand-weaving workshop and retail business in Chama, NM that produces and sells hand-dyed wool yarns (Churro, Cormo, Fine Apparel), handwoven textiles (rugs, blankets, pillows, tapestries), and offers multi-day weaving, tapestry, and natural-dyeing classes. The company uses wool from heritage Navajo-Churro and Rambouillet sheep raised locally, with all processing performed on-site from shearing through spinning and traditional dyeing over piñon wood fires.

Product overview

Tierra Wools is a hand-weaving cooperative and retail business based in Los Ojos, New Mexico, established in 1983 as part of the Ganados del Valle community organization. The company operates as a traditional crafts manufacturer offering a portfolio of wool and fiber products centered around Rio Grande weaving traditions. The core product portfolio includes hand-dyed and natural Churro wool yarns (both rug and blanket weights), Cormo wool yarns, Fine Apparel yarns, and Connie's Blend rug yarns—representing the primary yarn product line. Supporting the yarn business is a line of handwoven textiles produced by community weavers including rugs, blankets, pillows, and wall hangings. The company also offers weaving equipment (looms, tools), educational weaving and dyeing classes, Churro roving for spinning, and home goods including organic wool blankets, felted Churro items, folk art, and related crafts supplies. Third-party artisan products such as folk art, bar soap, dryer balls, and specialty items are also sold. The business maintains a physical workshop and gallery in Chama, NM where visitors can observe live weaving demonstrations and purchase products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Churro Yarn (Hand-Dyed) Hand-dyed Churro wool yarn sourced from Navajo-Churro sheep, available in rug and blanket weights, hand-dyed over piñon wood fires in multiple natural-dye color options.
• Churro Yarn (Undyed, Natural Colors) Undyed Churro yarn in natural fleece colors straight from Navajo-Churro sheep, available in rug and blanket weights for traditional weaving.
• Cormo Wool Yarn Soft, fine wool yarn from Cormo sheep (Corriedale-Merino crossbreed), available in 2-ply fingering and 6-ply bulky weights for knitting and weaving.
• Fine Apparel Yarn (Hand-Dyed) Single-ply wool/mohair blend weaving and knitting yarn, hand-dyed in-house, suitable for fine apparel applications.
• Connie's Blend Undyed Rug Yarn (Gordo) Single-ply wool rug weaving yarn in natural white, light grey, and dark grey from heritage breed American wool, suited to rug weaving projects.
• Warp Yarns Churro wool warp yarns for weaving, including Navajo style, blanket warp, rug warp, and churro rug warp varieties.
• Churro Roving 100% Churro wool roving for spinning, lustrous with silky hand and extremely durable.
• Handwoven Textiles (Rugs, Blankets, Pillows) Handwoven textiles created by Tierra Wools artists and community weavers, including rugs, blankets, pillows, and wall hangings, sold directly to consumers and collectors.
• Weaving Equipment (Looms and Tools) Handcrafted weaving equipment including looms (Arras, Cricket, Lilli, Easy Weaver), shuttles, spindles, combs, niddy-noddies, and umbrella swifts.
• Weaving Classes (Beginning, Tapestry, Natural Dyeing, Warping) Educational courses in Rio Grande weaving, tapestry weaving, natural hand-dyeing, and warping techniques taught by master weavers at the Chama workshop, with classes priced $150-$825 per student and limited to 4-5 students per session.
• Shepherd's Lamb Wool Blankets Organic wool blankets from Shepherd's Lamb, including natural white, buffalo plaid, and blue varieties, made in America and machine washable.
• Felting Kits Needle felting kits for beginners including starter kits, beginner kits, and seasonal fiber collections.
• Wool Painting Kits Wool painting kits for creating floral needle felting artwork, suitable for beginners and experienced crafters.
• Gift Certificates Gift certificates available in denominations from $20 to $1,000, never expire, redeemable across Tierra Wools products and classes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tierra Wools weavings featured in Denver Art Museum SPUN exhibit
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ganados del VallecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1983Grassroots community non-profit organization that founded Tierra Wools as its 'wool committee.' Mission was empowering rural people through cultural and agricultural resources. Provided early financial backing through grants, donations, and management training.
• Rachel BrowncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1980Renowned weaver and author who consulted for Tierra Wools in the early years. Traveled 70 miles from Taos weekly for three years to teach weavers. Co-developed the weaving curriculum still used today. Author of 'The Spinning, Weaving and Dyeing Book'.
• Dr. Lyle McNeal / Utah State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1980Collaborated on Navajo-Churro breeding program to preserve the threatened breed and establish sustainable local wool supply. Partnered with Ganados del Valle members.
• Weaver's NestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal lodging facility in Chama focused on serving students attending classes at Tierra Wools. Located nearby, Weaver's Nest provides accommodation for students during multi-day weaving courses. Some accommodations may provide discounts to Tierra Wools students.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dharma Trading Co. Major fiber arts supply retailer selling yarn, dyes, and equipment with educational content. Comparable as a fiber-arts catalog and dyeing supply resource serving handweavers.
• WEBS (Yarn.com / America's Yarn Store): The largest US yarn retailer with both a deep e-commerce catalog and an in-person education program (classes, workshops). Directly comparable to Tierra Wools' DTC and class model, with a much broader catalog but less heritage positioning.
• SweetGeorgia Yarns: Small-batch, hand-dyed yarn brand with strong DTC e-commerce, dyeing classes, and a focus on luxury fibers. Comparable hand-dyed yarn positioning and education-led brand building.
• Halcyon Yarn: Long-running fiber arts retailer with a strong catalog of weaving yarn, equipment (looms, tools), and an active class/workshop program. Directly comparable product mix to Tierra Wools across yarn, equipment, and education.
• Mountain Meadow Wool Mill: Wyoming-based vertical wool mill that sources American wool from regional ranchers, spins yarn in-house, and sells direct-to-consumer. Comparable vertical integration from ranch to finished yarn, with similar heritage-brand positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Pendleton Woolen Mills: Iconic American wool textile brand with a deep heritage in Western/Southwestern designs, large-scale blanket and apparel manufacturing, and DTC retail. Overlaps with Tierra Wools in heritage wool narrative but at vastly greater scale and broader product line.
• KnitPicks (Craft Container Corp.): Mass-market online yarn retailer selling a wide catalog at accessible price points. Competes for the same hobbyist fiber customer base but lacks Tierra Wools' artisan heritage and educational positioning.
• Toad&Co (formerly Nau / Ibex) — Southwestern wool/heritage retailers: Heritage apparel brand sourcing heritage wool and emphasizing US-made wool products. Comparable heritage positioning though oriented to apparel rather than handweaving supplies.

Regional players

• Navajo/Churro Weaver Cooperatives (e.g., Diné be' iiná / Crystal Trading Post): Native-owned weaving enterprises producing heritage rugs and textiles using Navajo-Churro wool in the Four Corners region. Closest functional peer to Tierra Wools' Rio Grande weaving tradition, though differentiated by tribal affiliation and regional commercial channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/tierra_wools_nm
• Facebookfacebook.com/tierrawools
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tierra-wools

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Los Ojos Hand Weavers Llc