Our Story

Pure. Natural. Ethical. These are the themes of the story behind W1 Hundred.

Our story begins with carefully selected, naturally derived, fibres. We access our fibres through Canadian sources including small independent mills.

Our primary fibre is Canadian wool milled in a heritage mill on Prince Edward Island. The mill dates back to 1870, and has been milling wool yarn since 1902. We believe in heritage and supporting traditions.

Our 100 Mile Wardrobe line revolves around using locally available fibres. This line of items uses fibre that has been produced or milled within 100 miles of where we create our pieces. Currently we are using mills in Innisfail and Linden, Alberta. When these pieces are made available, it is a rare opportunity for the consumer to support small independent farmers who keep sheep and alpacas for the production of locally produced fibre, and support the concept of a local supply chain (a very rare thing).

Cotton, Tencel, bamboo and hemp are featured in our warm weather wovens and knits. We access these fibres through a supplier in Quebec. We also offer organic cotton as it is healthier for both the farm workers and the planet.

We are committed to using natural dyes. Natural dyes create a range of colors different to synthetic dyes. We also love the fact that it is a historical method of coloring clothing. We grow, gather and carefully select our dye stuffs. Our dyes are always natural, always handcrafted, and sometimes even grown in our garden.

Preparation is key. To create quality pieces care and attention is important at every stage, from scouring and mordanting, to the final finishing details.

Crafting the dyes is where the magic begins. Extracting color from flowers is a technique used in centuries past. Extracting color from plants connects our clothing to nature and the earth. When the color of our clothing comes from nature it holds a deeper meaning when we wear it.

Our dyeing occurs in micro batches. All of our fibres arrive undyed, which means we only dye what we need. This concept allows for zero waste, and for each dyed piece to be slightly unique.

All our pieces are created through manual “human power”. A large proportion of our pieces are created using vintage flatbed knitters. Select items are knit on needles, while others are produced by hand weaving on traditional looms. We embrace the handcrafted tradition. We create a very rare product through our meticulous choice of materials and method. We personally create each piece insuring each clothing item is created in an ethical work environment. Canadian hands making pure Canadian clothing.

Pure craftsmanship.

Pure clothing.

Knit, woven and dyed by hand.

Unapologetically ethical fashion.

W1 Hundred.