In the middle of the 20th century a wave of synthetic fibers became very popular with manufacturers. Synthetic fibers simplified manufacturing by lacking seasonal or market variation that was common in wool and cotton. In response, the number of sheep being raised in the US began to drop precipitously (sheep populations in the 1990's were about 10% of 1940's numbers). In 1966 alone the US saw a 40% drop in the price for wool. Critical infrastructure began to fail as well (such as wool pooling centers and wool washing and processing facilities).
Any farmers that continued raising sheep started choosing flocks for lanolin or meat production, wool became a profitless side product. The price of raw wool continued to drop to where it barely covered the farmer's cost of shearing. In addition to focusing on other aspects of the sheep industry, these farmers found that they needed to raise other crops or find additional jobs to make ends meet. For most shepherds, this marked the end of a way of life.
The US currently contributes less than 1% of the world's wool clip whereas China, New Zealand, and Australia together account for more than 50%.
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