The Shopify "Collective with Buffalo Wool Co and Herd Wear

The “Collective” explanation:

Let me take you back a few steps.

When I got started on this bison fiber journey … and decided it was worth going full guns, I set up “Buffalo Gold, LLC”.  It was intended to be both a reference to the quality and the cost of the bison fiber “stuff” … mostly hand knitting yarns … that were the original focus.

I added a d/b/a – Buffalo Gold Premium Fibers as we started blending the bison with cashmere, silk, muskox, mohair, camel and some others.  They are all considered “luxury” fibers … or in my mind, “premium.

When I started producing wearables – the socks, gloves, beanies and such; I added the “Herd Wear” labeling, trying to capture both the reference to bison “herds” and the wearable part.  At that time my company was either doing or contracting for all the fiber harvest, processing, spinning, knitting and packaging …. Before products went on the market.

Then Ron and Theresa started up their own business - “Buffalo Wool Company”.   As I aged and they grew, the functions and expenses associated with the annual bison fiber harvest (January-March); the washing/scouring; dehairing; spinning and knitting has all, over the last 10 years, has been turned over to them … and they have taken it all to new heights.  

Their brand is “BWC” or Buffalo Wool Co. is now THE brand of all our bison fiber products.  Where at one time we all sold “Herd Wear” products; now we all sell BWC product.

They use some of the same contacts as I did … but many of my sources have closed.  Ron and Theresa continue the fight to keep high quality producers working with our relatively small production.  They have done a remarkable job, one of which I am extremely proud.  He has also branched into both new yarn blends with bison and wools, as well as some extremely rewarding partnerships producing blankets, base layer garments … and shortly outerwear using bison as the insulation. 

As to our marketing, there are still the two companies in the two Miskin families – BWC and Buffalo Gold d/b/a “Herd Wear”.   In order to keep inventories accurate we now use this “collective” from our mutual web host (Shopify).  So, most all of the bison fiber products – the socks, gloves, beanies, scarves - you see on my website HerdWear.net are actually products produced and warehoused by BWC.  Those are, almost exclusively warehoused in and shipped from their place in Weatherford, Texas.

The products that I have sourced over time, continue to offer and were so interesting in the former Herd Wear Retail Store in Goodnight … and are still available at my Online Distribution Center at my new place there – the western turquoise and sterling silver jewelry, the Footskin moccasins, the antique guns; the gun and pistol cases, the bison shoulder mounts and bull skulls; the Damascus steel knives, the American made Anza knives, the bison nickel sets and jewelry …. And more -  those are all still in Goodnight.  If you come by on your travels, you are welcome to call ahead and come visit. 

Conversely, my Bison centric, Western and American historical book collection -The Bison Book Store-Room - is set up on the BWC website as a “collective” set.  So are a few other items that Ron thinks will be attractive to his customers.  Any of the books there that are sold on either the BWC website or on the Herd Wear website are physically at and ship from Goodnight.

You all really don’t need to even think about which site you shop or how it’s going to get to you; we are a very cohesive family.  We work closely every day with the primary goal of customer satisfaction.  I’d bet you all know that already.  Just wanted to remove a bit of the mystery/confusion/angst etc.  Sometimes new things need just a bit of 'splaining.

While I keep a few pairs of socks and knitwear available for those stopping in, it is a pretty limited selection.  Most all of the bison fiber products are in Weatherford. 

Most likely, in time and as I “age out” of what I have done now for so many years, Herd Wear will become a small part completely inside of Buffalo Wool Company.  Ron says he does not what to loose the brand and the history associated with it.  That will be Theresa and his call.  For now, just know that we will all do our damnedest to keep bring bison – fiber primarily and foremost – to you all.

Thanks for letting me explain; hope it helped.

Cecil