Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship
Caroline Patten has been sewing since she was 12, but it wasn’t until the start of the Covid-19 pandemic many years later that she turned her passion into a business. After years of working in sports and coaching, Patten decided to jump into the outdoor apparel world by founding MoLa Hoods.
Working out of a small space in Richmond, Patten makes each piece in the MoLA line herself and typically uses American-made fabric, with an emphasis on dead stock — unsold fabric inventory that might otherwise go to waste. Her approach reflects a conscious decision not to follow fashion production trends that rely on overseas labor and manufacturing and often generate large amounts of waste.
With an education in environmental studies, Patten found it difficult to reconcile her values with the profit-driven culture of big business. “It’s pretty hard to leave with that degree and be really encouraged by big business,” said Patten, who graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 2011.
MoLa — the name is a reference to the mountains and lakes in Vermont — offers a range of goods such as sun hoodies, base layers and tech tees. There’s plenty of in-house testing. MoLa’s Instagram feed features clips of Patten and friends skiing and boarding backcountry powder on Mt. Mansfeld and hiking up Tuckerman Ravine in New Hampshire.
Patten candidly described the process of sourcing her materials as “imperfect.” Some of her summer fabrics fall outside the dead stock category, despite her best efforts, she said.
Still, she strives to find fabrics that are free from harmful PFAS, the so-called forever chemicals that can carry health risks and persist in the environment. And though her method of cutting fabric pieces for garments is slower than mass production, it creates less scrap waste because it is more customized.
Patten sells her products online as well as at an occasional holiday market. It currently takes about four weeks to receive an order from MoLa, according to the company’s website. That’s a contrast to products from the fast fashion industry, which may be shipped quickly but come with concerns about waste and disposal.
Large amounts of textile waste are generated globally each year, with the U.S. alone accounting for 11.3 million tons of landfilled textile waste, according to a 2018 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency study. Harmful dyes used in textile production and excessive packaging waste also contribute to fast fashion’s environmental issues.
The executive director of the Vermont nonprofit ReSOURCE, Tom Longstreth, describes those figures as more than statistics.
“They are signals. Reducing material waste is not only an environmental imperative, it is an opportunity to increase human potential,” Longstreth said. “When we invest in circular systems like repair, reuse and recycling, we also create meaningful pathways for job training, workforce development and community resilience. A jacket diverted from the landfill might represent a skill learned, a job earned or a life changed.”
The name MoLa reflects the brand’s strong connection with nature. While Patten describes the brand’s inception as a “half-baked idea,” MoLa appears to have grown into a well-defined branding strategy steeped in images of Vermont’s rugged mountains, white-capped lakes and deep forests.
Jackets and hoodies remain popular items at MoLa, but Patten enjoys adding more items to the lineup. “I’m always trying new products,” she said.
As a relatively new business owner, she has developed an entrepreneurial mindset, but Patten’s true passion lies in designing and creating functional outdoor gear. She tries to incorporate sustainability and ethical fashion in all aspects of her business, the company’s direct-to-consumer model and its mission to “stick to the core values of sustainability.”
Will Miemis, a MoLa-sponsored athlete, appreciates many things about the brand.
“One of my favorite parts about MoLa is Caroline’s commitment to making the best gear she can,” he said. “Every product she offers has gone through countless hours of testing and many refinements before ending up with you. Better gear that’s made right here in Vermont.”