In 1996 Englishman Graham Johnson came to Ocotlan de Morelos from Mexico City to open a woolen mill. The mill was designed to streamline the production process for making yarn and weaving cloth from local churro sheep wool* without sacrificing quality.
Graham was a tinkerer. He loved machinery, especially the old carding and spinning machines that were being replaced by computerization. He bought these up, shipped them to Oaxaca from the United States and the United Kingdom, and refurbished them. Often, he would find or make the parts to keep them going. Many were 30 and 40 years old already.
Over time the mill diversified and made luxuriously soft merino bed blankets and throws, fancy yak hair mecate horse reins, cinch chord for saddle belts, colorful wool tassels to decorate saddles, horse blankets and rugs for home decor.
They kept a supply of all types of wool to work with and blend, continuing to experiment to produce soft and durable products. In addition to merino, the mill cleaned and spun cashmere, mohair, Lincoln and other breeds. They still do.
Then, Graham died suddenly from a heart attack in 2009, and there was a question about who would keep the business going.
I remember when I first met Graham on one of my early visits to Oaxaca. It was probably 2005 or 2006. The mill was running at full capacity and you could hear the hum of machinery as you walked down the open corridor separating the rooms where the work was done. It was impressive then what these old machines and talented local employees could do.
Now, when I revisited with my friend Scott Roth, who has been working with weavers, wool, dyes, and the hand-loomed rug weaving process for over 40 years, I could see the changes. Scott brought with him replacement parts for some of the machines. Machines that were working ten years ago now need repair. Old belts, bearings, wires, cogs and wheels break, wear out.
For the past two years, Graham’s 37-year old daughter Rebecca has stepped in and is learning the operation. The mill is 25 years old and Rebecca is determined to keep her father’s dream alive.
At her side are Rosalba (Rosie) Martinez Garcia, who has been there for 18 years and knows just about everything about the mill. Helping are Angel Laer Ambocio Perez (above) and Alejandro Maldonado Santiago. They know a thing or two, too, although their tenure is much shorter.
Rebecca loves textiles. She loves yarn. She wants to supply all types of yarns for knitting and weaving and other fiber arts. There are beautiful rugs and blankets stacked on shelves that were made before her father passed that are for sale.
Spare parts for anything is essential here in Mexico. Equipment can be old. It can still be good, functional, valued. If one has the necessary parts to keep it going. Graham wasn’t the only tinkerer here. People save, cobble together, recycle, repurpose. Things get jimmied together and continue to work. People here learn how to be resourceful with what they have. It’s something I’ve learned being here.
As Scott and Rebecca worked out numbers to complete their transaction, I wandered the mill, remembering Graham. A cat ran across the corridor to hide. A young tree struggled to grow up from the crack in the concrete. A rusted yarn holder cast shadows on the adobe wall. I loved being there, another part of the textile heaven that is Oaxaca.
Where to Find It: Lanera de Ocotlan, 119 Benito Juarez, Ocotlan de Morelos, Oaxaca, Tel: 951-294-7062. Email: Rebecca Johnson at becky_madonna@hotmail.com for an appointment to visit. Directions: Continue straight past the Zocalo and the Mercado Morelos two blocks. The wool mill door will be on your left. It is unmarked.
Footnote: *Local wool is shorn from churro sheep which were brought to Mexico by the Spaniards with the conquest in 1521. The sheep are raised in the high mountains above Ocotlan in San Baltazar Chichicapam. The mountain range separates the Tlacolula and Ocotlan valleys. The altitude there produces a soft, dense fleece. There are still some, like Yolande Perez Vasquez, who use hand carders and the drop spindle to produce the best yarn, but this is a costly, labor-intensive process that yields a premium yarn that is very dye absorbent. Few weavers are able to pay the price.
Hello Norma
My name is Barbara Houshmand and I live in the state of Washington. I have followed your blog for sometime, and you have given me some remarkable information about Oaxaca.
Years ago when I worked in Park city Utah, Scott Roth sold rugs to the art center where I worked and later on to the business that I managed in Park city. I was surprised when trying to track Scott Roth down that he was mentioned on your blog.
I hope to come to Oaxaca in the next few months and hope to track down Scott, do you have an email for him? you can send him my email, if you’re worried about privacy issues.
We hope to see you when we come down.
Thank you
Barbara
Houshmand
Hi Barbara. I’ve sent your message to Scott along with your email address. I hope you hear from him.
Happy new year, and thanks for reading and following the blog.
Norma
Hi,
I am looking for a supplier of mohair cinch cord (2ply and 8ply) and am wondering if your mill supplies this?
Thanks,
Darcy
Please contact the mill directly. I am the writer not the mill manager.
Hi! I have bought mohair cinch cord from Rebecca in the past year but I can’t seem to reach her. Her mill seems like a wonderful place; I hope they continue to do business . If I continue to have difficulty reaching Rebecca, Do you know of any other mill that produces 8 ply mohair cinch cord?
Linda, I heard that Rebecca went to England and the mill is being run by someone who worked with her father for many years. Scott Roth might know a contact information. Scottrothrugs@hotmail.com
thank you! Rebecca told me ROsa was now in charge of cinch cord but Rosa does not speak English and I don’t speak Spanish! I will contact Scott. thanks so much for your quick response.
Well, Scott is a friend who lives in LA and Teotitlan. I only have you his contact information so you could get a phone number for the mill. You would need to get someone to do your order for you in Spanish. Scott is a customer of the mill.
HI, i a interested in importing wool ponchos and blankets to the US and will be down in Oaxaca next month, can you help me with any contacts? Thanks, I have many buyers already. Vicki
Woolen mill contact information is at the last paragraph of this blog post. You can find commercially made wool ponchos in Mitla.
I can’t believe I missed this on my last 2 trips. It is definitely on my list for the next time I get to visit.
You’ll enjoy it. Some good finds there, too!
I visited Lanera de Ocotlan in 2010 when it was empty and silent. How wonderful that it is alive again.
Yes, many of the machines are humming now. It’s a good sound.
Thanks, Norma, for such an interesting and historical post. I’ll put this on my Mexico bucket list!
Love,
Cindy
Can’t wait until you are back!
Hi,
I had the wonderful experience of going there with Judy Ross when
graham Johnson was there.. Judy knew him well .
Wonderful that we share that memory, Jo Ann.