NORTHPORT (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- These days weaving anything by hand is rare, but it's the trademark for Swans Island Company.
"We are using a process that would be familiar to people 200 years ago," says Bill Laurita, President of the company. Laurita and his wife bought the company in 2004 from John Grace, who began weaving wool blankets when he couldn't find anyone else in the market in New England.
Back then, the company existed on Swan's Island, off of Mount Desert Island. Now, it sits along Route One in Northport in an old farmhouse.
"My wife and I lived upstairs which is now administrative space," says Laurita. "We made an apartment for ourselves up there and I apprenticed with the Graces and learned how to do the weaving and the dying and how to sell the blankets."
The process begins as locally as possible, with sheep's wool from farms in New England, including College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor. The wool is spun and dyed, then pieced together with a hand weaver and sold all over the world, even attracting the attention of a few first ladies.
"We have had a lot of politicians, we have sold blankets to the statehouse to use as gifts for visiting dignitaries, to the White House. So the Obama's bought several of our products to give away as gifts to visiting prime ministers. We made a blanket for Melania Trump who was interested in one for their airplane," Laurita says, adding that it's always nice to be noticed in Maine.
What is it that stands out about this small Maine company? Laurita says it's all about the quality and the craftsmanship. "These are heirlooms," he says. "People tend to pick these things because they’re going to treasure them and then hand them down from generation to generation so we want to get it right."
The company has recently expanded to include a retail shop in Camden, and sells its hand-dyed yarn for crafters who want to knit their own projects.
For more information on Swans Island Company, click here.