This is a special live episode recorded this past March at SXSW in Austin, Texas, and it features a conversation I had the honor of moderating with two powerhouse guests: Cate Havstad-Casad of Range Revolution and Daniel Mouw of Duckworth.
The title of the panel was Farmer-Founded Brands Will Save American Fashion. At first glance, that might sound like a bold claim, but these two are actually doing the work to make it real. Cate is a designer, hatmaker, and regenerative rancher whose company Range Revolution is turning discarded cattle hides into regenerative high-end leather goods. Daniel is the president of Duckworth, a Montana-based wool company that’s rebuilding the American supply chain– one sheep, sweater, and ranch at a time.
Together, we dug into some big questions: What happened to American-made textiles? Why are most of us walking around wearing plastic? And what would it look like to rebuild rural economies from the ground up, using natural fibers like leather and wool, raised and processed responsibly, here in the United States? It might sound like we’re talking fashion and manufacturing trends—but this is really a conversation about values, ecosystems, and the future of rural America.
Cate and Daniel are funny, deeply thoughtful, and grounded in the realities of both agriculture and business. They bring hard-earned optimism to a conversation that too often gets bogged down in doom and gloom. And they make a compelling case for why fashion can be a vehicle for stewardship, beauty, and connection to the land. We also had a sharp, engaged audience that asked some truly insightful questions– you’ll hear a few of those toward the end.
Thanks to Cate and Daniel for the amazing conversation, thanks to SXSW for inviting us, and thank you for listening.
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RESOURCES:
Topics Discussed:
- 2:10 – Introductions
- 6:35 – A history lesson in US fiber production
- 10:22 – Current supply chain challenges facing producers
- 16:17 – Why natural fibers are superior to synthetics
- 19:17 – The true cost of synthetics and fast fashion
- 23:17 – How Range Revolution and Duckworth are restoring economic power to ag producers
- 27:36 – The unique role of for-profit businesses in solving these challenges
- 33:13 – Positivity as a strategic business decision
- 37:09 – How do you scale this regenerative fashion movement?
- 40:32 – Embracing natural characteristics in design
- 42:06 – How to capture attention in today’s information age
- 46:13 – What would an ideal community support system look like?
- 50:26 – Fabric frequencies!
- 52:53 – How to convert standard retail buyers into regenerative buyers
- 56:40 – Any collaboration with the EU fashion industry?
Information Referenced:
- SXSW
- Range Revolution
- Casad Family Farms
- Duckworth
- Maverick Ski Hill
- Woolrich
- American Flannel: How a Band of Entrepreneurs Are Bringing the Art and Business of Making Clothes Back Home by Steven Kurutz
- Externalities
- Women in Ranching
- Veja shoes
- American Wool Council
- Jenessa Leone
- Fibershed
- Another Tomorrow
- Shop Zero
Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:
- Cate Havstad-Casad, Part 2 – Building Businesses for the Greater Good
- George Hodgin Returns – On Risk-Taking, Leadership, and the Future of Cannabis
- Nick Offerman – Empathy, Nuance, & Good Hard Work
- Kristine Tompkins – Nothing to Lose
- Kelsey Molloy & Angel DeVries – Fortifying Grasslands and Communities on the Northern Great Plains
- Jesse Smith – A Regenerative Approach to Land and Life
- Ivan McClellan Returns – From Behind the Lens to Center of the Arena
- Elliot Ross: Where Landscape, Justice, and Storytelling Meet
Visit the podcast page for a full, searchable list of episodes
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