Ryan Williamson
Eco-Innovator
Ryan Williamson
lives the life we all dream about. He’s an affable granola kid that’s actually
turned his ideals and simple upbringing into an unconventional modern
lifestyle. He lives at the base of a mountain near Shenandoah National Park.
He puts aside months of the year to spend on trails. And he makes a living
through his own eco-friendly business—Mouse Works, a unique brand of hand-made
recycled fleece hats and clothing that he makes from home.
Williamson grew
up on a remote mountain homestead in West Virginia as the son of a
wood-turner. Being
self-sufficient was necessary during a youth that included rigorous travel to
craft shows. He learned to love the artisan tradition and at a young age he
sewed his first hat. Proudly he wore it to school, and classmates were
immediately impressed, asking him if he had any for sale. Soon he was slinging
them out of a garbage bag in the high school hallway.
After college
in Maine and two complete hikes of the Appalachian Trail, Williamson decided
to make his craft a full-time business. The company name comes from his trail
name Timothy Mouse.
“At first it
was just a way for me to buy backpacking gear,” says Williamson. “Running a
small business isn’t easy, but to me this came naturally.”
He hand makes
the fleece gear that he sells out of “double recycled” fleece, meaning he uses
the scraps that are only going to be discarded from factories. Although he may
not always get the colors of his choice, buying recycled fleece drastically
reduces his production costs and preserves even more energy than virgin fleece
made from recycled soda bottles.
“From square
one I’ve tried to keep my impact as low as possible,” he says. “If I can take
what can’t be used, I think it’s far more environmentally friendly. I don’t
buy virgin fleece even if I have to turn down orders for certain colors.”
The products
have caught on and are being sold in outfitters all over the Blue Ridge region
and as far away as Montana. But to sustain his income as a one-man operation,
Williamson also has to travel to craft shows every weekend from September
through December.
“It takes a lot
of long term planning and discipline, since most of my cash for the year comes
in over four months,” he says. “But I wasn’t meant to work a normal job. Being
able to walk out for a hike whenever I want makes it all worth it.”
