Aporta was founded by Noelle Sharp, a professional weaver, knitter and conceptual artist. The idea for Aporta began while she was receiving her BFA from The Art Institute of Chicago with a focus in Fiber Materials. Sharp was disappointed with knit products found in stores, so she began to make her own textile accessories. The response was immediately positive. Soon she introduced woven scarves to her line as well as woven textiles for private distributors. All Aporta products are made by hand in the US with only US sourced materials.
Sharp began knitting at the age of 6 and was introduced to weaving while a student at SAIC. She is dedicated to revitalizing the textile industry in the US and continues to work with local sheep farms to support their wool production for Aporta designs.
In 2013 she moved to Iceland and began working with Icelandic Lopi Wool. Upon her return she was so inspired by Icelandic wool she introduced a few items to her Aporta line made from it. The response was once again overwhelmingly positive. Icelandic wool is the only non US produced material in her line as it is native to Iceland and has no comparison worldwide. Sharp spends her time living and working in Utah, Chicago and Iceland.