COLUMBIA FALLS — A unique business in Northwest Montana is preserving Western heritage one piece of jewelry at a time.
Cowboy Collectibles creates handmade jewelry from horsehair, staying true to its mission of keeping production local and supporting Montana artisans.
"We always want to stay local, small town, handmade, in Montana," said Melissa Rausch, owner of Cowboy Collectibles.
What started as a small idea in 1995 has grown into a business whose products have been worn in all 50 states and around the world.
"Our products are nationwide, we're in boutiques, hat bars, museums, gift shops, airports, we're here locally," Rausch said.
The company sells necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more, all crafted from horsehair.
Watch how this Montana business transforms horsehair into beautiful, durable accessories:
"Horse hair is special, it carries strength, history, and Western heritage, it's also very durable when braided properly, it can last for years," Rausch said.
Each piece of jewelry is made by local Montana artisans, including braider Brenda Steward, who finds personal meaning in her work.
"I've had horses my whole life so this is really meaningful to me too, the opportunity to make something fun and pretty out of horsehair is just really cool, I love it, I love it so much," Steward said.
The business received significant recognition when country music star Lainey Wilson was spotted wearing their jewelry.
"We were able to gift her some of our products at a concert we went to and then spotted her wearing it at her next concert. So we're just so honored it just kind of gives us that feeling that our product is important," Rausch said.
Despite the national reach, the focus remains on supporting the local community.
"We want to support the families here, their lifestyles, their heritage, and the values they hold important," Rausch said.
