TEXTILE COMPANY NATIVE SPUN AND MARINE INTERIOR DESIGNER KATE GABLE SEREMETH PARTNER FOR DECORATIVE THROW COLLECTION

Designs feature colors and materials ideal for marine and coastal settings

Building upon a friendship and a shared love of textiles, domestic weaving operation Native Spun and marine interior designer Kate Gable Seremeth of Tack Studios have teamed up to introduce a collection of decorative throws. The designs, based on Seremeth’s extensive marine design work, are combined with Native Spun’s specialized weaving techniques to create a line of throws with a clean, refined aesthetic. 

Native Spun founder Gina Wicker and Seremeth first met in 2014 when they collaborated on the interior design of a Morris Yachts M36 sailboat as part of a Sunbrella marketing project, selecting colors and fabrics to bring the vessel to life. The two design experts quickly struck up a friendship, connecting on a shared love of textiles and weaving. Wicker also remembers noticing Seremeth’s creative process and the unique way she works with clients to reach a final design.

“Kate’s approachable personality combined with her high-end design aesthetic have made her very popular and sought-after in marine design,” Wicker said. “I knew when I established Native Spun that a collaboration with Kate would be on the horizon. I’m glad we can finally bring this collection to life.”  

Seremeth maintains Tack Studios offices in Yarmouth and Belfast, Maine with an ongoing portfolio of work that includes about six boats at a time. Her design approach includes getting to know a client and the way they live both on and off the water so that their boat design will be a true reflection of their lives and the things they love most.

“What I’ve discovered in working with clients over the years is that it’s often items like pillows, soft textiles or decorative pieces that are most coveted on the boat, the things clients respond to the most,” Seremeth said. “Gina’s knowledge of textile design and construction has allowed us to put together a collection that people will want to use in every room, on water and on land.”

The Tack Studios Collection by Native Spun includes two styles - House and Casco - each available in two colorways. The throws have a structured hemmed edge and clean, striped patterns in traditional marine colors with a modern vibe. The collection is made from solution dyed acrylic yarn, meaning that it is UV-resistant, won’t mold or mildew and can be cleaned with bleach if needed, attributes ideal for life on the water and everyday living.

House - An asymmetrical stripe that ends with a large block of color, House brings visual interest in alternating stripes, available in the grey and white Stone colorway and Atlantic, a dark blue and white. House has a sophisticated aesthetic to accent a variety of settings, above and below deck.

“People are still very much into greys and blues as neutrals, particularly in marine design,” Seremeth said. “While the colors are more traditional, the stripe adds a modern element.” 

Casco - Casco is also an asymmetrical stripe featuring a large color block but the design is punctuated by a bright stripe at both the top and bottom of the throw. The Pool colorway is a traditional blue and white stripe with a buttercup yellow accent. The Stone colorway features a grey and white stripe with a bright orange accent. While it’s ideal for marine settings, Casco also makes a unique accent for an outdoor room or even a child’s room.

“The throw designs and colors are very much suited to a marine setting, but the accent colors in the Casco design especially add a fun twist,” Seremeth said. “Sometimes clients are hesitant to agree to bright accent pieces, so Casco allows us to add an element of color that isn’t too overwhelming.”

Decorative throws from the Native Spun-Tack Studios collaboration are available for purchase online at tackstudios.com.

Design collaboration is an area of enormous focus for Native Spun. Wicker brings 30 years’ textile design experience to her company and has organized her weaving teams around collaboration, emphasizing the custom nature of Native Spun’s manufacturing capabilities and ability to pivot for customer needs. The company’s small size and flexibility are an advantage over larger mills that do not specialize in such custom details.

“I want to work with designers and partners who push us to do better and better work,” Wicker said. “From a weaving perspective, it’s more fun to create very specific, interesting designs and it motivates our team and helps them expand their skills.”

Native Spun minimums are reasonable and interior designers can establish their own program with as few as 12 throws, with a common warp program that can be made up of as many as four different SKUs. The company is open to working with small retailers and designers, with and without storefronts.

Upcoming Native Spun collaborations include woven products with ingredients from local farms such as high-end wools and alpaca, as well as European linens, organic and conventional cottons and performance fabrics. The company’s looms are available for upholstery fabric production, among other products. Wicker also hopes to lease time on Native Spun looms for artists and makers, supporting the small business community and people like herself who have a passion for well-crafted textiles.

“I want Native Spun to be known for our collaborations, including our work with interior designers, artists, and exclusive upholstery makers,” Wicker said. “I’m always glad to share my loom capacity with people who love textiles as much as I do.”

NATIVE SPUN INTRODUCES COLLECTION OF HANDWOVEN OUTDOOR THROWS

Open Line or Custom Throws Available in Minimums as Low as Twelve Pieces

 Native Spun, founded in 2019 by textile industry veteran Gina B. Wicker, is pleased to introduce a full collection of decorative outdoor throws made with sustainably sourced Sunbrella solution‐dyed acrylic for fade‐ and UV‐resistance.

The collection is handwoven in North Carolina and is designed with a high‐end aesthetic in mind. Throws can be finished with a self‐fringe or a tailored hem and are engineered to withstand frequent home or commercial laundering using a variety of cleaning and disinfecting agents including bleach or hydrogen peroxide. All Native Spun throws can be machine washed and dried and are pre‐shrunk as part of the finishing process.

“We all understand that luxurious touches and ease of cleaning are even more important as we spend more time at home and move our time with family and friends outdoors,” said Gina Wicker, president/creative director of Native Spun. “While the term handwoven is common in our industry, we believe your customers will appreciate that Native Spun throws are designed and woven in the U.S.”

Since all products are woven‐to‐order, Wicker said the company can design throws specifically to a customer’s needs while maintaining a level of handmade craftsmanship that is distinct to Native Spun. "One of the things I enjoy most is working with customers to design a collection that is perfect for their region and design aesthetic," said Wicker. "Collaborative design development is part of the Native Spun DNA."

Products are available in a variety of colors including stylish, nature‐inspired neutrals with sophisticated accents of deep shibori blue, saffron gold, moss green and burnt orange. For a more tropical look, clean, saturated hues are available in solids, stripes, or textures. Keeping coastal locations in mind, Native Spun has created an array of nautical looks anchored by Captain Navy and Cadet Grey with accents of Jockey Red, Tuscan Orange, and Buttercup Yellow that are as welcome on a patio as on the aft deck of a yacht.

“Different parts of the country have different design needs, and we're uniquely structured to meet those demands by offering throws in various sizes to suit specific pieces of furniture, color combinations that best meet a retail brand and design aesthetic and textures to complement overall space design,” Wicker said. “Our handwoven throws are carefully crafted with elaborate design structures and novelty yarns that would be very difficult to mimic on large‐ scale production equipment, and they are offered in manageable minimums.”

“We've created a common warp program that makes it possible for a retailer to create an entire collection of up to twelve distinctly different styles on a single warp,” Wicker said “and, I personally work with each retailer to develop an assortment that meets their needs."

"I’m thrilled to be hands‐on in the textile industry again, weaving alongside my team to create an American‐made product that we are incredibly proud to present to casual furniture retailers.”

DUKE ALUMNA GINA WICKER LAUNCHES NATIVE SPUN

Company Taking a “Slow Foods” Approach to Textile Production

Gina Wicker, WEMBA '97, announces the formation of her company, Native Spun, a textile manufacturing firm producing high-quality handwoven textiles in North Carolina. Taking an approach akin to the slow food movement, Wicker sources high-quality, domestically produced fibers and yarns for use in her handwoven textile products. Ranging from custom upholstery for the residential interior design segment to decorative throws for design-driven consumers and performance throws for the hospitality trade, her products target those with an appreciation for handcrafted, locally produced items.

Founded with sustainability, reuse and recycling in mind, Wicker purchased vintage looms from her long-time customer, Textillery Weavers, when the company owners announced their retirement. "Textiles is in my blood, and I couldn't pass up this opportunity," said Wicker, "I worked on looms like these while pursuing my undergraduate degree at North Carolina State University, so this new venture feels a bit like coming home."

All products are designed and handwoven in Burlington, North Carolina and are made with a high-end aesthetic in mind. While not everyone appreciates the maker movement and is willing to pay a premium for domestic production, Wicker believes the same consumers who buy local craft beer or organic blueberries are squarely in her target demographic.

“We all understand that luxurious touches and ease of cleaning are even more important now as we spend time at home and outdoors with family and friends,” said Wicker. “While the term handwoven is common in the textile industry, we believe customers will appreciate that Native Spun throws are designed and woven in the U.S. by a team who feels ownership for every piece produced and is paid fairly for their contribution.”

"One of the things I enjoy most is working with clients to design a collection that is perfect for their region and design aesthetic," Wicker said. "Collaborative design development is part of the Native Spun DNA. I’m thrilled to be hands-on in the textile industry again, weaving alongside my team to create an American-made product that we are incredibly proud to present to consumers, designers and retailers.”