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In the past, Ruth has had a high end custom made to order knitting
business using natural fibers. A sample of her natural fiber garments
can be found in The Survey of Historic Costume, a college text book
on the history of dress used throughout the United States and Canada.
These garments have appeared in fashion shows across the U.S.A.,
Paris, France, Africa and Copenhagen, Denmark.
Today she is known as the pioneer woman for the 21st century whose
curiosity and vision lead to the creation of a new industry. A woman
who looked beneath the wild image we associate with bison, to create
beautiful objects with a sensuous feel. |
And beneath
is indeed where she looked. Protected by the coarse hair of the
American buffalo, Ruth discovered an underlying fleece suitable
for spinning into yarn. Hence, the creation of a new fiber developed
from shaved bison hair. The result? American Buffalo Knits by
Ruth Huffman.
Imagine buffalo cashmere. It may sound like a fantasy,
but it is not. For Ruth, the soft undercoat of the bison
offered an untapped opportunity to produce luxury items. "These
natural fibers produce a look and feel that exceeds anything that
I imagined before I began my research. " says Ruth.
This soft, yet strong American buffalo fiber is a de-haired product
in which the coarse hairs have been removed from the soft down,
leaving a light, durable, soft, insulating and warm product.
"This bison adventure has been a very exciting one.
The more I learned about this animal and its by-products, which
can be some of the softest and most exotic items found anywhere
on earth, the more I grew to love the bison and realize what a
magnificent American classic we have."
Ruth is making a name for herself as the "Buffalo
Gal." She is poised to go global with both wholesale
and direct marketing of the American buffalo products.
Despite using fleece from an animal usually associated with the
wild west, her work is mostly traditional and contemporary with
an elegant, classical look. Only the rich, chocolate brown color
reveals their origin.
This is a tale of old world meets new world, a story deeply rooted
in the old west, but applicable to life in today's city landscapes.
These are stylish urban wraps with all the comfort and luxury
a prairie girl could ever dream of. Go ahead, enjoy her story!
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