If you’re not well-versed in the natural fiber economy, Kristen Buchanan wants to help with that. Buchanan manages a small family farm in Southwest Washington, and she’s the co-founder of PNW Fiber Connect, an organization that wants to create a support network of different players in the regional fiber industry.

The organization aims to educate consumers and share resources from shepherds to mill owners to yarn stores and beyond. Buchanan wants consumers to make intentional choices about where their wool and textiles come from, in the hope that the Pacific Northwest can one day sustain a more robust fiber economy.

Kirsten Holbo is a shepherd at Iron Water Ranch in Albany, Oregon. She’s been in the fiber industry since 1984 when her family took over Iron Water Ranch. She and Buchanan join us to share more about the current state of the wool industry in Oregon.

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/06/10/think-out-loud-pacific-northwest-fiber-production-high-wool-prices/