The Wool Project
The Wool Project is an immersive, hands-on learning experience that follows OSU wool from farm to finished product and ultimately to market. Guided by Design and Merchandising faculty, students participate in a full-circle product development and merchandising journey that connects material science, creativity, and real-world business strategy.Throughout the course, students explore every stage of the wool supply chain while developing products made exclusively from wool sourced directly from Oregon State University sheep.
What Students Will Experience
During the project, students will:
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Witness wool at its source by attending the annual sheep shearing at the OSU Sheep Center, where the project begins.
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Tour a local mill to observe how raw fleece is transformed into yarn and collaborate on processing decisions.
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Work in the OSU Natural Fiber and Dye Lab, experimenting with:
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scouring
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carding
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spinning
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weaving
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knitting
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felting
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natural dyeing techniques
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Research and define consumer segments who would value OSU-branded wool products.
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Design and prototype products made exclusively from OSU wool, grounded in consumer insight and product feasibility.
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Develop a brand identity and story, learning about OSU trademark, licensing, and marketing policies.
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Create a business plan to bring OSU-branded wool products to market.
The Wool Project blends material science, creative design, and entrepreneurship into one unforgettable experiential learning opportunity.
Who Can Register?
Anyone can enroll in the class. There are no prerequisites or restrictions, making it accessible to students from a variety of majors and backgrounds.
When Will the Class be Offered?
Anyone can enroll in the class. There are no prerequisites or restrictions, making it accessible to students from a variety of majors and backgrounds.
How Do I Register?​
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Students can register through the Schedule of Classes during Spring Term 2026.
The course will be listed under DSGN (Design). The exact course number will be announced soon.
How the Project Began
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The idea sparked when Brigitte and Marianne Dickson met Mary, who’s part of the Fibershed organization. Mary wondered if we knew about the Polypay sheep on campus and encouraged us to brainstorm ways to use their wool and get the students involved. As Brigitte and Marianne started their project, they realized that introducing students to the entire animal-to-yarn supply chain would be a win-win for everyone. So, they hatched a plan. The first step was to invite both faculty and students to the annual sheep shearing at the OSU sheep center. The OSU sheep center in Corvallis has about 100 sheep, mostly Polypay. Each year, they shear their wool coats, and on December 14th, a few faculty and students joined in. After each sheep was sheared, we teamed up to ‘skirt’ the fleece, which meant laying the sheared fleece on a table and carefully removing all the ‘bad’ parts around the edges. Once the skirting was done, the fleece was rolled up and stored in big bins before heading to a local mill. Rodger Family Farm in Lebanon is a small family-run mill that processes the wool into yarn. On December 16th, they delivered 55 lbs of raw fleece, and the finished yarn should be ready by the summer. The next steps will be decided by the students, who will continue the journey by taking the Wool Project class during the 2026-2027 school year.
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Thank you to Roger’s Family Farm for working with us and helping us learn more about the local wool industry.
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