Intertwined
Wool from animals has been a material in clothing for over 12,000 years. That is about as long as agriculture has been around. The textile and fabric industries was a key player in the growth and innovation of the industrial revolution. With that has come a supply chain of wool and textiles owned almost entirely by corporations, hurting both the environment and smaller wool workers. Lisa Heinz is working to change that.
Heinz is the owner of Southeast Ohio Fiberworks. From her home in Athens, Ohio, she hand dyes wool and yarn to sell at market. Almost all the wool that she uses is sourced from farmers in southeast Ohio, thanks in part to her work with Southeast Ohio Fibershed. With the Fibershed, Heinz is working to create a cyclical textile industry in southeast Ohio that supports local farmers, shearers, dyers, and crafters.
Lisa Heinz grabs for jar of dye in her basement in Athens, Ohio, September 2, 2025.
A pile of bags filled with wool sit in Lisa Heinz' basement in Athens, Ohio, September 2, 2025. She works to source all her wool from farmers in southeast Ohio. Heinz is a leading member of the Southeast Ohio Fibershed, a branch of the national organization that works to create a system for fiber workers in the region.
Lisa Heinz taps a blue dye into a rainbow pattern of wool in her basement in Athens, Ohio, September 2, 2025. "The kids really love this pattern," she said. "I always sell out of the rainbow."
Lisa Heinz pulls a red skein of yarn out of the sink in her basement in Athens, Ohio, September 4, 2025. Along with her pre-made work, Heinz works with clients for custom dyes. The client who ordered this skein wanted a particularly vibrant shade of red.
Lisa Heinz runs her hand over a mesh bag of Jacob wool in her basement in Athens, Ohio, September 4, 2025. Jacob wool is one of her most popular wool types that she dyes for its durable but soft quality. A frequent struggle with storing wool are moths that eat the fibers and can ruin the product.
Lisa Heinz takes a break to rest from rinsing skeins of wool in the basement of her home in Athens, Ohio, September 4, 2025. She is recovering from a surgery earlier this year on her neck that left her unable to work for months. “I’ve only been back at this for a few weeks," she said.
Lisa Heinz holds and pets one of her bearded dragons in the living room of her home in Athens, Ohio, September 4, 2025. Heinz owns two bearded dragons, a crested gecko, and multiple birds, and her dog Loki, all of whom are rescues.
Packets of embroidery floss sit on a table at Lisa Heinz' booth at the Athens Art and Farmers Market at the Athens Community Center in Athens, Ohio, September 6, 2025.All the packs of floss are hand wound using the wool she sources. She said customers prefer the real wool over synthetic yarn for their projects. “Once you start working with the real stuff, it’s hard to go back.”
Lisa Heinz talks with customers in her tent at the Pawpaw Festival at Lake Snowden in Albany, Ohio, Sep. 13, 2025.
Skeins of dyed yarn sit on a table at Lisa Heinz' booth at the Athens Art and Farmers Market at the Athens Community Center in Athens, Ohio, September 6, 2025. She attends the market most weeks, but is preparing for Pawpaw Festival, one of her busiest times of business.
Lisa Heinz labels a skein of yarn for a customer at the Athens Art and Farmers Market at the Athens Community Center in Athens, Ohio, September 6, 2025. Although the weather was dreary this day, she still received a steady flow of customers.¸