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The Men’s Textile Collective Foundation is a Houston-based nonprofit dedicated to building community, educating to break stigma, and promoting mental well-being through the transformative power of textile arts.
Our mission is simple and deeply rooted, textile arts are for everyone, including men, and everyone deserves a place where creativity feels like home.
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For generations, men have been makers, weavers, knitters, tailors, and storytellers through cloth. From ancient looms to modern workshops, men have shaped the textile traditions that continue to inspire us today. At MTC, we honor that history while creating space for a new era of belonging, one where men feel welcomed, seen, and supported in their creative pursuits.
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We serve as a movement, a community, a resource, and a safe place to land. Through education, hands-on experiences, outreach programs, and partnerships across Houston, we work to ensure that the healing, empowering, and connective nature of textile crafting reaches youth, adults, veterans, and families who need it most. This is where well-being and creativity meet, where learning becomes confidence, and where community is built one stitch at a time.
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Welcome home. You belong here, and together, we are weaving a culture where everyone can create, grow, and thrive.
Community
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Building Connections That Matter
Our community work is at the heart of the Men’s Textile Collective. We are committed to uplifting others through programs, partnerships, and hands-on support that bring creativity and compassion directly into the Houston area. Through our outreach, we work to strengthen the places where people gather, learn, and grow, providing resources, skills, and continuity to organizations that serve youth and families in need.
​One of our core partnerships is with Pathways Youth and Family Services, where our volunteers come together each year to create handmade Christmas stockings and cards for the children in their care. We also support programs like Montrose Grace Place, offering connection and comfort to youth experiencing homelessness. These efforts reflect our belief that creativity is a powerful tool for healing and that showing up for our community is a responsibility we carry with pride.
Our broader network includes local schools, fiber shops, guilds, and associations throughout Houston. Together, we collaborate to bring textile crafting into classrooms, community spaces, and support programs where it can make a meaningful difference. Groups like our Fiber Fellas serve as one example of how we build community from the inside out, creating spaces where men feel welcome while inviting everyone to learn, create, and connect.
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We rely on the generosity of the Houston fiber community to fuel this work. Donated yarn and fabric allow us to teach, support programs, and place supplies directly into the hands of those who need them. Yarns that are not ideal for teaching are circulated through our local trunk shows, which provide the essential funding needed to sustain and expand our outreach efforts.
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Whether you are looking for a community to call home or seeking a partner who is committed to service, education, and well-being, we would be honored to work alongside you. Together, we can build a stronger, more connected Houston, one stitch at a time.
Education
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Breaking the Stigma Through Understanding
This work is not just for men. It is for the families, partners, and supporters who want to help break down barriers. Your encouragement matters. Your voice helps us open the door wider. Together, we can build a culture that welcomes men into the fiber arts without hesitation, judgment, or outdated assumptions.
Men have always been part of the textile world. From fathers passing down essential handcraft skills, to quilting and tailoring traditions, to the artistry of dyeing and design, men have shaped these crafts for generations. These roots run deep, and they remind us that textile arts are not new to men, they are part of a proud and meaningful legacy.
Yet today, many men still feel unseen or unwelcome in spaces built around these crafts. That stigma is real, and it keeps countless people from discovering a creative outlet that could bring them confidence, connection, and a sense of purpose. Through education, conversation, and visibility, we are working to shift that narrative and open doors. When men understand the history behind these skills, and when they see others like them picking up yarn, thread, and tools, it becomes easier to take that first step.
Change in the market begins with change in the community. When more men feel confident stepping into textile arts, companies will take notice. Representation will shift. Marketing will broaden. The industry will grow to reflect the people who participate in it. Our role is to inspire that shift by uplifting the voices, stories, and skills of men who create, whether they are beginners or lifelong makers.
​Education is woven into everything we do, from outreach programs and partnerships to everyday conversations that challenge the status quo. And as more men step into this world, they also become more open to the therapeutic benefits that crafting can offer — something we explore more deeply in our Well-Being pillar.
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Breaking the stigma begins with understanding, and it continues with seeing yourself reflected in others. In today’s world, countless men — from actors and athletes to musicians and public figures — knit, crochet, sew, quilt, and create boldly. They are part of this movement, and so are you. You belong here, and it is always okay to begin at the beginning.​
Your support fuels our mission to break the stigma and reach new demographics throughout Houston. Donations allow us to expand our outreach, collaborate with partners, and bring textile arts into spaces where men may have never been exposed to them. They also provide the materials we use to share our message and help others understand the rich legacy and inclusive future of men in the fiber arts. With your help, we can continue opening doors and shifting perceptions, one conversation at a time.
Well-Being
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Healing Through Creativity and Connection
The mental health benefits of textile arts are real, measurable, and increasingly recognized. Clinical studies have shown that repetitive motion activities such as knitting and similar textile practices can reduce anxiety, ease stress, and support individuals living with trauma. The steady rhythm of working with your hands can calm the mind, improve focus, and create a sense of groundedness that many people struggle to find in their daily lives. These are not just hobbies, they are evidence-backed tools for emotional regulation and personal well-being.
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This matters for so many people who may not have considered textile arts as a meaningful outlet. Veterans, first responders, and others who carry invisible burdens often face the stigma of seeking help or exploring creative practices. Yet these therapies have shown real potential to support individuals living with the effects of stress and trauma. Our goal is to make these practices accessible, acceptable, and welcoming by breaking down the barriers that keep people from reaching for a tool that could genuinely help.
​Parents, too, are often searching for ways to support children who need healthier forms of expression and regulation. Textile arts offer structure, focus, and a sense of accomplishment that can be deeply beneficial for young people navigating anxiety, stress, or challenging behaviors. We welcome families who want to explore these skills together, and we believe strongly in the power of creativity to help children grow.
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For men especially, well-being is closely tied to connection. We are communal creatures by nature, built to gather, build, and share experiences. Being around other men who create, learn, and show up for one another can be profoundly healing. Groups like our Fiber Fellas demonstrate how camaraderie, creativity, and shared purpose can ease the weight many men carry alone. You do not have to carry everything by yourself. There is strength in creating alongside others who understand.
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Looking ahead, we are dedicated to growing this pillar into something even more impactful. With the right support, we plan to develop a structured textile therapy program that brings these benefits to individuals and communities who need them most. This vision is grounded in research, partnership, and the lived experiences of those who have found healing through craft. It is the next natural step in our mission.
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Your support makes this possible. Donations allow us to stand up new textile-based support groups, place tools and materials into the hands of those who need them, and lay the foundation for future therapy programs. Together, we can build a place where creativity supports well-being and where healing is always within reach.
Our Beginning
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A Personal Journey That Sparked a Movement
The Men’s Textile Collective began with a simple, meaningful project. After retiring from the Air Force, Brice Porter set out to create a quilt from the T-shirts he collected during his years as a Military Training Instructor at Basic Military Training in San Antonio, Texas. What began as a personal tribute quickly became something more. With the guidance of a fellow quilter, that first project came to life, and the finished quilt now hangs on his wall as a reminder of connection, creativity, and the healing power of making something with your own hands.
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As Brice continued exploring textile arts, he discovered how deeply these crafts supported his own well-being and how naturally they created community. It became clear that countless other men, including those with similar service backgrounds, might benefit from the same sense of focus, grounding, and belonging. The more he learned, the more he recognized the gap between who participates in textile arts and who could. That realization became the spark that grew into the Men’s Textile Collective.
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Today, his journey serves as the foundation of a larger mission: building community, breaking stigma through education, and promoting well-being through the transformative nature of textile arts. What started with one quilt has grown into a movement dedicated to ensuring that every man who is seeking connection, creativity, or healing has a place to begin.
