Stitch Fix introduces Mohnton Made line of clothing
Product produced in Berks uses upcycled clothing and recycled polyester, which saves on water and reduces the industry's carbon footprint.
Stitch Fix, the multinational personal styling company based in San Francisco, has a new brand of sustainable clothing that is cut, sewn and knit in Mohnton.
The brand, appropriately called Mohnton Made, has 50 employees in Mohnton and Shillington and operates in the Mohnton Knitting Mills, built in 1906 and now owned by Stitch Fix.
“Mohnton Made was inspired by the rich history of Mohnton Mills,” said Loretta Choy, Stitch Fix Women’s general manager. “The line is committed to producing thoughtfully-made, everyday essentials in a size-inclusive range which honors the heritage of the factory and garments previously produced there.”
Stitch Fix purchased the Mohnton Knitting Mills from Gary Pleam in October 2017. At the time, the Mills had been in the Pleam family for three generations. Pleam introduced Stitch Fix to local suppliers and industry connections he had made during his years with the Knitting Mills.
“Many members of the team have worked in the local apparel manufacturing industry for 20plus years and bring a wealth of experience to the business,” Choy said. “We have two members on our team who both have over 40 years of experience working at Mohnton Mills. We are also committed to keeping the spirit of the industry alive and offer training opportunities for those interested in learning to cut, knit and sew.”
Mohnton Made clothes are made with upcycled clothing and recycled polyester, imported from Mexico and Spain. The use of recycled materials saves on water, and the manufacture of the clothes all in one place reduces the industry’s carbon footprint.
The dye that colors the clothing comes from Green Matters Natural Dye, based in Gap, Lancaster County. It is made from the madder root, myrobalan and cutch plants, and made with water.
“I think just in the past few years,” said Loretta Quigley, Green Matters co-founder and CEO, “consumers have been wanting more information about how their garments are made. This means there has been a lot of interest in natural dye, but sometimes naturally dyed projects have other parts of their manufacturing that are not sustainable… When dyed at our facility with plant-based dyes, we are able to eliminate the pollution caused by synthetic dye houses.”
The new emphasis on environmental friendliness reflects consumer trends. According to Choy, requests for “sustainable” and “organic” clothes increased by 20% from 2020 to 2021.
“The fashion industry has a long way to go in terms of addressing wasteful practices,” Quigley said, “but I think Stitch Fix is setting an amazing example of how a brand can produce locally with a smaller impact, using sustainable materials.”