Whether draped over a couch as functional decor, swaddled around a newborn baby, or quilted by a loving grandmother, blankets are universally used and sometimes even cherished. These five small businesses hold high standards for this everyday item, wrapping their customers in products crafted with great care and meaning.
The Cozy Company
The Cozy Company is a New Hampshire-based small business that specializes in chunky knits. Owner Jill Kasiaras grew up in The Granite State, where the snowfall averages about 60 inches per year. Her pandemic hobby turned into a legitimate enterprise, and Kasiaras strives to create the ultimate cozy experience with her blankets and stuffed animals. Knitted with jumbo size 7 chenille yarn derived from a polyester blend, Kasiaras weaves these soft, fluffy pieces by hand.
In addition to crafting cozy items, The Cozy Company offers public and private workshops, print tutorials, DIY kits, and various patterns for those who are acquainted with knitting. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, The Cozy Company made a breast cancer ribbon pattern and ribbon pillow print tutorial. For the upcoming holiday season, there is a chunky Christmas tree pillow pattern and DIY kit available for purchase.
Eighth Generation
Owned by the Snoqualmie Tribe, Eighth Generation was established in 2008, and in 2015, it became the first Native-owned business in the U.S. to sell Native-designed wool blankets. Artist, activist, and educator Louie Gong launched this small business in Seattle, Washington, where many of its products are still made. In 2022, Gong stepped down as the CEO and handed the torch to Colleen Echohawk.
Eighth Generation's products are designed by indigenous artists who live around the country with the goal of reclaiming Native American symbols and stories. Some 30 Native artists comprise the company's network, and they are all entrepreneurs themselves. These partnerships not only further the mission of Eight Generation, but they help bolster the individual artists' reach as well.
Facing the same constraints as other small businesses, Eighth Generation blankets are produced both domestically and overseas in Asia and Europe. While only 3% of apparel sold in the United States is made domestically, over 50% of Eighth Generation's product categories are manufactured here.
Tommy continues to visit the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah, each month to pay homage to his mom and donate blankets to the breast oncology division for the patients there. A photo of Amy is also packaged with each blanket sold.
Biquette
Similar to Eighth Generation, Biquette is a global collective of artists who design throw blankets. They are made to order in Long Island, New York, at one of the area's last knitting mills. There are currently 24 designers contributing to the company's artwork, and each receives 10% in sales royalties.
Co-owner and Creative Director Amelie Mancini, a painter and textile designer herself, has her own collection. Along with her counterpart Andy Concilio, Biquette is committed to following sustainable practices. As such, production is done in small batches — only when there is demand — to limit the waste of undesired products. Knitting domestically also reduces the carbon footprint of long-distance shipping from overseas factories.
Biquette uses luxurious fabrics like Egyptian cotton and Merino wool because they not only want their blankets to be warm and soft, they also want them to be durable. Committed to quality, the brand hopes their machine-washable, hypoallergenic throws will become family heirlooms. Offering free personalization and monogramming, custom orders seal the deal for finding the perfect gift or home staple.
Lola Blankets
Named after Tommy and Will Higham's mom, Lola Blankets is a tribute to Amy Higham, who died in 2020 from breast cancer. Amy always took the same blanket with her to chemotherapy treatments to keep her comfortable, and it became an extension of her in a way. After Amy's funeral, her family discovered five replicas she'd made for each of her kids and husband, along with handwritten notes. The blankets embody Amy's enduring love and spirit.
Tommy Higham then forged a path to honor his mom in a big way. In 2021, he received the first batch of Lola Blankets — 300 to be exact — that he managed to squeeze into his 400-square-foot apartment.
The small business's first order was for 500 units, which he and his brother painstakingly helped fulfill. With the help of strong marketing strategies, the power of social media, and collaborations, they've "continually had problems meeting demand."
"Our revenue increased seven times between our first year in business and the next," Tommy said.
Tommy continues to visit the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah, each month to pay homage to his mom and donate blankets to the breast oncology division for the patients there. A photo of Amy is also packaged with each blanket sold. Upholding Amy Hiigham's legacy is first and foremost.
Swans Island Company
Attorneys John and Carolyn Grace left their careers in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to pursue a simpler way of life and an all-but-forgotten craft. They moved to Swans Island, Maine, and slowly laid the foundation for a wool blanket brand. They learned how to hand-dye yarn using natural dyes and weave them on a handloom. In the early days of their venture, they left a stack of blankets on their porch alongside a money jar for interested customers.
Nearly 30 years later, in the hands of a new owner and now headquartered on the mainland, Swans Island Company remains a fixture of the local community. Owner Bill Laurita continues to source fibers from New England farms that are spun in nearby mills and dyed by hand in-house. Utilizing naturally occurring pigments like cochineal, indigo, and madder root allows the manufacturer to control the saturation and achieve hues that can't be attained in large-scale dye lots.
Swans Island Company has expanded its product categories into bedding, apparel, bags, and baby blankets. The small business also touts hand embroidery and can fulfill custom orders.
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