Standing in the doorway of Rite of Passage, a 7,500-square-foot workshop tucked into a side street in Asheville’s River Arts District, Libby O’Bryan embodies the ethos of her company. The army green canvas of her coat came from Mount Vernon Mills* in Mauldin, SC. She crafted her skirt from jacquard fabric designed by Jhane Barnes, which she rescued from a closing mill in Hendersonville, NC. By repurposing this “deadstock” material, O’Bryan not only saved it from the landfill but created a stylish piece that will last a lifetime.