About
The story of us
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE!
Unfettered:
/en’federd/
Adjective meaning unrestrained or uninhibited
Unfettered Art and Supply empowers makers to create with sustainable materials, learn with innovative content, and flourish within our diverse community.
Our family business’s story began with the desire to shape creativity into a sustained way of living. Janis Ledwell-Hunt and Loren Wilson met while planting trees out of a curbside encampment in British Columbia, Canada. Together, over the course of many seasons, they have replenished Canada’s landscape with just shy of 4 million saplings. From this history of labour, Janis and Loren developed an unshakable work ethic. And from witnessing the devastation that industry can cause to ecosystems, they learned that sustainability matters.
Janis launched Unfettered Co in 2018. It began as a creative outlet for her to sell unique macrame creations and quickly became a thriving small business. While honing her craft, Janis began to notice an absence of affordable, sustainable, and colourful fibre available to makers in North America. So she started sourcing the exact fibres she wanted to create with. Before she knew it, a whole room was full of them. And then a room and a hallway. And then a whole house. And then a whole house and storage locker…and then three! Eventually, the entirety of Janis and Loren’s existence was overtaken with fibre and they’ve never looked back.
While Janis filled every nook and cranny with inspiring fibrous fare, Loren realized there was no stopping the momentum and joined the fold by building a metal workshop from the ground up. Friends and neighbours came to sweat it out and help push one heavy wheelbarrow load of concrete after another, until the shop floor was laid. Tools followed in sequence, but only as they were afforded by incoming orders. As Loren’s collection of handcrafted metal frames grew, makers were able to shape their own creations in exciting ways.
In 2020, Unfettered Art and Supply moved into its current warehouse location in the sleepy little town of Ladysmith (on Vancouver Island). Fun fact: our warehouse is just down the road from the home of beloved Canadian icon, Pamela Anderson.
Meet the unfettered team
Janis Ledwell-Hunt
Founder, Fiber Artist, Wordsmith
Janis created Unfettered Co on a whim. She completed a PhD in 2011, then taught English and Studies in Women and Gender at Vancouver Island University for a number of years. But, ultimately, Janis resigned from her position with 10 orders for her macrame in tow, and has never looked back. In 2023, Janis completed her first solo exhibition at the Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiberarts Museum. Her fiberart and interviews have been featured by Flapper Press, My Modern Met, and Create Whimsy.
Loren Wilson
Co-Owner, Welder, Superhero
Loren has been supporting Unfettered Co in every possible way since its inception. He brings 27 years of metalworking experience to his work. In 2013, Loren became and A-level Journeyman Welder. And in 2005, he took his Tool and Die schooling to become a certified Machinist. Loren would also like to enter his 14-year experience as a “Janis Wrangler” into consideration for this bio ;)