Facing low prices for coarse wools, sheep farmers around the U.S. have looked for creative ways to sell wool into alternative markets: as insulation, upholstery and even fertilizer.

Marie Hoff, a California sheep farmer, has invented another product: wool sponges for washing dishes.

“Honestly, I’m a little surprised it took this long for wool sponges to enter the market. They make so much sense,” said Clara Parkes, a yarn critic and wool expert who has bought sponges from Hoff.

Parkes said she grew up using synthetic plastic sponges with a soft yellow side and a green scrub pad, which she often threw away because they quickly became “mildewy and gross.” She said Hoff’s wool sponges stay clean after heavy use, feel nice in her hand, dry out quickly and do not release microplastics into water.

The journey

Hoff’s journey to becoming a sheep farmer and wool sponge producer started in her 20s while she was working for vendors at farmers markets in the Bay Area. She had grown up in Suburban California with almost no exposure to agriculture before that point.

Later in her 20s, she became interested in farming and spent time visiting farms, including those of vendors she knew. She was especially drawn to fiber and sheep. In 2013, she started a small flock of Ouessant sheep at a friend’s prompting.

In the early years, she worked part-time for Fibershed, a nonprofit focused on developing regional fiber systems, and started a grazing service called Capella Grazing Project in Sonoma County.

At first, her clients were mainly vineyards, orchards, farms and private landowners who contracted her to graze her sheep as a form of lawn mowing.

After the 2015 fire season, Hoff realized her sheep could serve another important purpose: reducing fuel loads to prevent wildfires. The catastrophic 2017 wildfire season further increased demand for her targeted grazing services.

Although grazing was going well, Hoff noticed a problem on the fiber side of the industry. Sheep farmers she knew were throwing away significant volumes of coarse wool for lack of a market.

“There was an incredible amount that was going to waste. I tried to convince people to do something about it, and then I was like: You know what? I’ll do it,” said Hoff.

Hoff stepped into the gap, buying the wool and trying to make something useful with it.

She created several products — including headbands, bandanas and dryer balls — that she continues to sell via her brand, Full Circle Wool. The most original product she came up with was the wool sponge.

To create the sponges, Hoff buys wool from sheep farmers, ships it to Bollman Industries, a scouring plant in Texas, sends the scoured wool to US Felt in Maine for felting and cutting and then packages the sponges herself. Hoff sells the sponges wholesale and direct-to-consumer.

Today, Hoff runs more than 60 Ouessant sheep in Potter Valley, Northern California. She continues to offer targeted grazing services and plans to expand sponge production.

“We’re in a growing stage,” she said.