American-Made Merino Yarn on a Global Stage

Something about the parade of nations at the Olympics gives me goosebumps. Ask my husband, and he’ll tell you I overflow with pride each time we watch the athletes walk in at the opening ceremonies.

In 2014 and again in 2018, I was also drawn to a part of Team USA that I hadn’t paid much attention to: their outfits. It turned out that a substantial portion of the 2018 Team USA uniforms, including blue pom-pom hats, mittens, and their red, white, and blue Nordic-inspired sweaters, were created using American Merino wool.

What drew me to these pieces was their story and the yarn that Ralph Lauren chose to use. The origins of the wool and this American-made yarn made me proud to be a knitter and supporter of sustainable wool practices.

This story takes us to the high desert near Shaniko, Oregon, where Imperial Stock Ranch has operated since 1871. The ranch, founded by Richard Hinton, has changed ownership over the decades but has operated continuously and stayed true to its origins and heritage. This ranch has had a long history with Merino and has built a strong reputation for outstanding fine-grade wool.

More than 150 years after it was founded in Eastern Oregon, Imperial Stock ranch produces wool that has clothed US Olympic athletes. Photo by Anita Osterhaug

In 1988, the ranch passed to the Carvers, who carried on the traditions started more than 100 years prior. Then, in 1999, Imperial Stock Ranch transitioned from selling wool as a commodity to selling sustainably produced wool yarns, textiles, and goods. It was the Carvers’ focus on the idea of ranch-to-runway and anticipating the slow fashion movement that would build the bridge leading their wool to the Olympics nearly two decades later.

Going back to this video from 2014, we get a peek at where this partnership between Ralph Lauren and Imperial Stock Ranch began:

While National Spinning Co., Inc. was the official yarn vendor for the 2018 collection, the story of the wool’s origins from Imperial Stock Ranch is inspiring. In an interview from 2018, Jeanne talked about how they are woven into Olympic history: “It just humbles you; it gives you great pride.”

Although Jeanne is best known in fiber and agricultural circles for her work in American wool, she formerly coached collegiate Track and Field, including a US National Team internationally, and served on the US Olympic Development Committee.

More recently, Jeanne founded the Shaniko Wool Company, which unites ten Western ranches under a Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certification—and provided the wool for the 2022 Ralph Lauren-designed Team USA Olympic uniforms. An important element of Shaniko Wool Company is traceability, so that the wool can be traced back to the ranch where it was grown. As Anthony Theos of Theos Swallow Fork Ranch, a member of Shaniko Wool Company, comments, “When you know Olympic athletes are wearing your wool, that’s pretty special.”

From Imperial Stock Ranch wool’s first Olympic appearance in 2014 to the Shaniko Wool Company’s contributions to the games, Ralph Lauren and their partners are bringing the global spotlight to sustainable wool from the American West.

As part of achieving RWS certification and joining Shaniko Wool Company, ranches like Theos Swallow Fork Ranch demonstrate that their operations meet environmental, worker treatment, and animal welfare standards. Photo courtesy of Shaniko Wool Company

Header photo: US Army photo by Tim Hipps, IMCOM Public Affairs. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

Links

Shaniko Wool Company

References

Bumbaca, Chris. “Team USA uniforms for closing ceremony in Beijing unveiled by Ralph Lauren.”
Gormley, Shannon. “Team USA’s Winter Olympic Uniforms Were Made With Oregon Wool.” Willamette Week, January 23, 2018.
Miles, Lee. “U.S. Olympic Team Turns to American Wool to Stay Warm.” American Sheep Industry Association, February 2018.
Petrovski, Leslie. “Shorn in the USA.” Farm & Fiber Knits, October 20, 2023.
Petroski, Leslie. “Can You Trust the Wool You’re With? RWS Certification Offers Assurances.” Farm & Fiber Knits, November 11, 2023.
Weil, Audrey. “How an Oregon ranch is woven into the thread of the Olympics.” KTVL.10, January 22, 2018.
“Winter Olympics & Oregon Wool.” Oregon Aglink.