The Ethical Stitch with Michelle Alleyne

Legacy in Every Fiber: Taylor’s Run and the Wool Behind Sustainable Fashion

Michelle Alleyne Season 1 Episode 29

In this episode of The Ethical Stitch, Michelle Alleyne takes us all the way back to the beginning of the fashion supply chain. The place most people skip. The land.

She’s joined by Michael Taylor of Taylor’s Run, a legacy agricultural operation producing superfine merino wool, for a grounded conversation about what it really means to call a material “ethical.” Because before a garment becomes a garment, it’s a farm. It’s weather. It’s animals. It’s stewardship. It’s people doing physical work most consumers never see.

Michael breaks down what sustainable wool production actually looks like in practice. Traceability, animal welfare, land management, and the very real pressures farmers are under as climate volatility reshapes what’s possible season to season. Together, they unpack common misconceptions around merino, the nuance between different grades and types of wool, and why the language of “luxury” has to evolve when the natural world is no longer predictable.

This episode is a reminder that ethical fashion isn’t only designed. It’s grown. And the future depends on tighter collaboration between farmers and designers who are serious about building a supply chain that can last.


Takeaways

Fashion starts with the land, not just the finished product.
We must learn the names of those behind the materials we love.
Sustainability in farming means leaving the land better for future generations.
Traceability in the supply chain is crucial for ethical fashion.
Animal welfare is directly linked to the productivity of farming.




🌿 The Ethical Stitch
Hosted by Michelle Alleyne

Follow us for more threads of truth:
📱 Instagram: @theethicalstitch | @michellealleyneofficial
🌍 Website: michellealleyne.com

🎙️ New episodes drop weekly.
Stay smart. Stay stylish. Stay stitched in.