This New Brunswick woolen mill has survived changing leisure-time interests, fashion trends, competition from man-made fibers, fires, floods and world events. With all the processes completed under one roof, from washing the raw wool to tagging the finished product, it’s quite an experience to see.

For over 150 years, Briggs & Little Woolen Mills Ltd. has indeed been a family affair. First known as Little’s Woolen Mill and York Woolen Mills, it dates to 1857. In the 1890’s it was purchased by Roy Little, who ran it until 1916. The business was then bought by Matthew Briggs and Howard Little, giving us the name it holds to this day.

Upon the sudden passing of Matthew Briggs in 1935, his son Russell continued with Howard Little until 1948, when Russell sold his shares to Ward Little. He and Howard Little ran the mill until 1954 when Howard sold his shares to his son, Roy. Ward Little and Roy Little continued as partners until 1978, when Ward sold his shares to his grandson, John Thompson, and Roy sold half of his shares to his son, John Little. In 1988, John Thompson and John Little became partners. In 2014, John Thompson retired and Michael Little purchased 50% of Briggs & Little’s shares. John Little and Michael Little, father and son, were the sole owners of Briggs & Little Woolen Mills Ltd. until John retired from working in the office on May 31, 2019.

Since 1916, there has been a Little descendant employed at the mill. Today, fourth generation owners, Mike Little and his wife, Leah, as well as sons John and Carl (CJ) [fifth generation], are all working away at keeping Briggs & Little Woolen Mill Ltd. products on your local store shelves.

Located on Route 635, along the Northeast Branch of the Magaguadavic River, Briggs & Little harnessed the natural energy provided by the dam and used a water wheel until a devastating fire in 1994. When the new mill was built, it incorporated the stream by using its water to wash the wool at the start of the processing.

Briggs & Little employs 20 full-time staff in the mill and 4 full-time staff in the office. The mill staff create approximately 2700 skeins of yarn per day. It takes 1200 lbs of raw wool to create the 675 lbs of yarn; that’s an average of 250 sheep fleeces per day! During the normal production season, which runs from September to April, Briggs & Little produces approximately 450, 000 skeins of yarn.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the mill also processed used wool items shipped to the mill by individuals by train and reprocessed them into yarn. Early recycling that benefited individuals and the mill.

Today’s rainbow of colours was not available back in the early 1900’s. White, grey and black were the only colours produced until the 1940’s, then scarlet, royal blue and paddy green were introduced…and are still produced today! Currently, there are eight different weights of yarn created on site, with eleven different lines. Yarn weights vary from 24 stitches to 10 cm (4 inches) and 1720 yds/lb. to 11 stitches to 10cm and 340 yds/lb. When combining all the different lines, there are 82 colours available, with up to 47 shades in each line. Briggs & Little wool spun and roving unspun yarns are suitable for hand-knitting, machine-knitting, crocheting, rug hooking, needle punch, needle felting, weaving and macramé.