Robin Guy

Birch Hollow Fibers

What’s your story?

I started knitting in my twenties, and one year I decided to knit a hat for my friend in rust orange. I couldn't find what I was searching for, and my husband suggested I learn to dye yarn. I spent Thanksgiving break experimenting, and I have been dyeing ever since.

It morphed from a hobby that covered my book and tea love to what it is now. I never expected this, but I am truly grateful for the support that people have shown.

What are your values?

I think it's hard to separate my personal values from my business. Racial justice and equity is something that is very important to me, as a Black woman, and as a business owner. Some of the organizations I donate to, whether through special colorways or updates, focus on food security, voting rights, and more, in marginalized communities. Being able to give back was always a goal of mine with my business.

Representation is also paramount to me; that can be reflected in my base names. My bases are named after women writers, and a majority of them are BIPOC.

Sustainability is also in the forefront, from creating less waste, to environmentally friendly packaging, to my Sojourner Sock base that is a non-superwash base that is sourced in the U.S., with some of the yarn sourced locally. It is also milled here in New York.

I am also on the Advisory Council of the Hudson Valley Textile Project which is focused on and celebrates sustainability throughout the local fiber industry, from fiber farms to clothing.

All of these are important to me, and I think in many ways they feed into one another, and I am happy to be in position to make some kind of difference, no matter how small.

What can we find at Birch Hollow Fibers?

I offer hand dyed yarn and wooden stitch markers.

Are you open to collaborations or custom work?

I am open to collaborations; it is amazing to see what people create. There is something beautiful about having two different mediums come together and seeing the end result. I do custom work for wholesale accounts.

Where can we learn more about your work?

Website: www.birchhollowfibers.com | Instagram: @birchhollowfibers