It was a huge shock when, having sheared their sheep, the supplier who had been buying wool from their Oregon ranch for a century told the Carvers in 1999 that it was moving offshore and wouldn’t be buying their wool. But, as the old saying goes, when one door closes, another opens. And in this case, it was a door that ended up aiding a whole sector of the endangered American textile industry.

Jeanne Carver and the other Oregon ranchers who make up Shaniko Wool Company now produce the only wool in North America that is independently certified as having been produced regeneratively. The Carvers, who had been running the historic 32,000-acre Imperial Stock Ranch since 1988, realized that unless they wanted to give up their sheep, they would have to find their own markets. In an era of outsourcing and disconnect, Jeanne Carver has led tirelessly with traceability and accountability, building relationships across the domestic textile industry, says Shaniko.