TRANSCRIPT:
John Helle We actually have Rambouillet breed. The Rambouillet is the French derivative of the Merino. Montana Rambouillet breed was a mainstay out here.
Evan Helle: They've spent a long time in the United States evolving and adapting to the harsh climate of the Rocky Mountains. Sheep need to stay comfortable in that weather no matter what.
John Helle: Just our climate here in Montana, extreme heat to very cold winters, produces a real highly sought after advanced crimp, it's almost like a spring.
Evan Helle: It traps air really well and helps keep them warm.
John Helle: When you have knits you want to have a lot of stretch so that fiber itself has all those little spring coils in it, and gives it natural stretch. Our sheep are very unique in being able to produce that.
Socks, sweaters, shirts, base layers, that type of stuff where you want super high comfort and stretch. It's just wonderful. The Merino breed took off a little bit more in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa. They tend to be a little bit more suited for really fine suiting materials like men's fine suits and pants. Over the years that's that's kind of been where super fine wool has gone.
Evan Helle: Each sheep produces anywhere from eight to fourteen pounds of wool, about eight to ten t-shirts from every sheep. Our sheep are our little tiny factories walking around in the mountains. The product they produce is such a natural, simple product that it's easy for people to get behind that as something that they are passionate about.
