Julie Antone Moore

Julie Moore founded Fiberactive Organics in 1993. Now after more than 30 years in the organic industry, Julie has passed along the administration of her company and is concentrating on her writing and artwork. Fiberactive Organics and other businesses that she has built, stem from her drive and dedication to preserving and cleaning up the environment and doing business in a manner that supports the health and dignity of all people.

Below is her own casual statement about her life and career.

Almost the Life Story of 

JULIE MOORE

I never intended to be a business person, I’m an artist, and I’ve been telling people that since I was three years old.  I have degrees in Illustration and Graphic Design with minors in biology and psychology from the University of Missouri in Columbia.  So, I came into business ownership and management with a completely open  and untrained mind.  My philosophy has always been, if you don’t know how to do something you do it the way you think it should be done.

I began my art career as a wedding photographer, then graphic design in small print shops and, later, large corporations. My fiberart work began as traditional quilt making and quickly moved into art quilts known as fabric collage.

Eventually I began to combine my love for illustration with quilting, and created a series of continuous line quilting designs I called Earthlines. These patterns are still being sold by Quilting Creations International.

Green Business Quarterly

As a businesswoman, the standard business suit doesn’t fit me very well.  My philosophy is Business Is Personal.  I don’t think outside the box, in my world, there is no box.  In building Fiberactive’s line of products I have let the market lead me; if a customer asked for a specific product, I would develop a whole line then introduce it to the rest of the world.  One thing lead to another and I began to see where there were holes in the organic fiber industry, the biggest need I saw out there was for organic cotton sewing thread, so in 2007 I partnerned with YLI Corp to bring Fiberactive Natural into the world.  Next we needed colored organic cotton thread, so in 2012 we partnered with Forbitex of Holland and now Fiberactive is the North American distributor of their Scanfil organic cotton thread.

BRAID – Along with the thread, Jim Miller of YLI Corp developed a braided tape made on an antique braiding machine using 16 strands of Fiberactive Natural thread.  The braid is about 1/4″ wide and my customers use it for all kinds of things, even knitting!

Organic cotton shawl

VESSELS  – I use a technique of wrapping cording with strips of fabric to make everything from rugs to cremation urns.  

I launched Earth To Earth Burial in 2013 as a place to show and sell my burial pieces.  Since then I’ve seen cremation urns become a recognized art form with shows and competitions around the world.  People being able to talk about death and plan for the end of life is important to me.   It has been a joy to serve others in such a profound time of their lives. 

In 2024 I turned 65 and had to slow down.  Earth to Earth burial products have been taken off the international market and I now sell my creations personally and at a functional art gallery in Apex, NC called Cocoon Gallery.

MEAT & POTATOES –    In the spring of 2018  I finally launched Sewpure, my own brand of organic cotton thread

It’s thrilling to see the products that are being made with our thread!  I love helping young designers get started and seeing sustainable fashion and sustainable business join the main stream of our society.