The town made its wealth during the 18th and 19th centuries, when it was the world center of the wool industry.

At its height, the town imported more than 100,000 tonnes of wool annually from the Southern Hemisphere.

After processing, numerous establishments were involved in wool-spinning and in the manufacture of leather goods, gloves, blankets, hosiery and clothing for the troops.

[6][7] While the vast majority of Mazamet's wool industry ended in the early 1990s, the town still has a residual high-end leather industry with leather being purchased by a number of Paris & London fashion houses.

[citation needed] Today, Mazamet is known for tourism, thanks to its natural setting at the foothills of the Montagne Noire mountain range and being close to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Albi, Carcassonne and the Canal du Midi.