Mountain Meadow Wool: Local wool mill preserves Wyoming’s wool legacy and ranching culture

Nestled at the base of the Big Horn Mountains, Mountain Meadow Wool is a family-operated mill dedicated to supporting local ranchers and preserving Wyoming’s wool legacy.

Here, locally-sourced, ranch-raised fleeces are turned into some of the finest wool products in the West, providing a living link between real-life ranchers and people who treasure high-quality wool. 

A mill with a mission 

Mountain Meadow Wool is a relatively new mill which began production in 2007, spearheaded by Operations Manager Ben Hostetler’s mother Karen and her business parter with a simple yet ambitious goal – preserve the ranching culture of the American West and find a way to capture more value from the exceptional wool produced in Wyoming.

“Over a century ago, Basque sheepherders settled Wyoming, establishing small ranches in the late 1800s. However, declining wool prices over the past two decades have threatened these historic operations,” Mountain Meadow Wool’s website reads. “In 2007, Karen and her partner set out to reverse this trend, opening a full-service mill which offers fair prices to ranchers for their wool.” 

Ben further explains, “We started because there was a lot of high-premium wool produced here in Wyoming, yet there was no value being added to the wool clip.” 

Ben goes on to note the mill’s founders not only wanted to process fiber, they also wanted to connect Wyoming wool directly to consumers who appreciate authenticity and traceability. 

“Initially, the scope was to establish a regional processing facility, although we didn’t entirely know what that looked like,” Ben says. “We started out very small in terms of production volume, but over the years it’s grown quite a bit and we’ve continued to add new services.”

Today, Mountain Meadow Wool processes more than 60,000 pounds of wool annually, selling finished products in nearly every U.S. state and several countries abroad. 

Inner workings 

What began in 2007 as a bold idea to add value to Wyoming’s wool clip has grown into the largest full-service mill in the West, blending traditional craftsmanship with modern capability. 

In its 24,000-square-foot facility, wool undergoes a full suite of processes, including scouring, carding, combing, spinning, plying, dyeing and knitting – all under one roof. 

“We started out just making yarn,” Ben says. “Then in 2017, we added commercial knitting so we could knit apparel in-house, and in 2023 we added commercial dyeing operations as well.” 

Ben explains the mill currently has three main revenue streams – Mountain Meadow Wool branded stock yarn and apparel, private label work for other brands and custom processing services, which makes up roughly 40 percent of total production. 

Branded items sold through the store includes everything from beanies, scarves, gloves, sweaters, hoodies, ponchos, T-shirts, slippers, blankets, handbags and more.

Loyal to locals 

A cornerstone of Mountain Meadow Wool’s identity is its commitment to regional sourcing and traceability. 

Most of the fiber the mill buys comes from farms and ranches within about 150 miles of Buffalo, with additional wool sourced from neighboring states when certain fiber types are needed. 

Many of Mountain Meadow Wool’s valued customers would likely attest the mill’s high-quality products reflect its intimate connection with the local community.

Its signature Mountain Merino yarns – made from Rambouillet, Merino and other fine-wool breeds – are said to be soft enough for next-to-skin wear and warm and durable enough to hold up in Wyoming’s harsh climate. 

Each skein of yarn can also be traced back to its ranch of origin, forging a clear link between local ranchers and each finished product. 

Ben admits, from the beginning, one of the biggest challenges facing Mountain Meadow Wool has been finding people with textile experience.

“The skillset of textiles is very lacking in the U.S. and even more so in Wyoming, so building that skillset has been one of the biggest challenges,” he states. “Everything we do from start to finish is being learned right here.”

He adds, “No one comes into the company with any previous textile experience, so we have to provide training from the ground up, which has been our biggest learning curve.” 

However, Ben also notes this initial hurdle has actually become more of an opportunity than anything, as local staff build deep, hands-on know-how that’s hard to find elsewhere. 

Today, the mill employs about 30 people, many working flexible schedules to suit life in a rural community.

Goals and milestones

Ben shares some of the most exciting moments in the mill’s evolution haven’t just been about growth, but about capability. 

“Adding knitting and being able to make our own apparel and blankets was a really fun milestone,” Ben says. “It’s so fun to see raw wool go in on one side and something like a sweater come out on the other.” 

He also notes the mill’s more recent venture to expand its commercial dyeing operations has been another exciting milestone.

“We’ve always done hand dyeing, which gave us a lot of flexibility,” he says. “When we added commercial dyeing there was definitely a learning curve to create quality, consistent and repeatable colors, but it’s been a really fun milestone to say we can successfully operate a commercial dye house.”

Additionally, Ben says Mountain Meadow Wool’s goals for coming years include expanding production lines, particularly from scouring through spinning, while also securing the mill’s physical future by owning the building it operates in.

“We don’t own the building we are currently in, so we are trying to navigate a transition where we can own the building in order to make modifications to support new growth and equipment,” Ben says.

For now, Mountain Meadow Wool plans to continue building on the unique attributes that have always set the mill apart – its commitment to people and heritage. 

In historically rich wool-producing regions like Johnson County, the mill’s presence strengthens both the local economy and Western ranching culture. 

By sourcing fiber locally, creating products with regional identity and valuing ranchers who supply the wool, Mountain Meadow Wool has created something incredibly rare – a business rooted in tradition, personal connection and continual innovation. 

For more information on Mountain Meadow Wool, visit mountainmeadowwool.com, @MountainMeadowWoolMill on Facebook or @MountainMeadowWool on Instagram. 

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.