View source for Wool

{{short description|Textile fiber from the hair of sheep or other mammals}}
{{other uses}}
{{pp-pc1|small=yes}}
{{distinguish|Cotton wool}}
[[File:Royal Winter Fair Wool 2.jpg|thumb|right|Wool before processing]]
[[File:Sheep eating grass edit02.jpg|thumb|Unshorn [[Merino|Merino sheep]]. This breed of sheep is known for its fine wool.]]
[[File:Sheep at Llanddewi Brefi, in Ceredigion, Wales.jpg|thumb|Shorn sheep]]

'''Wool''' is the textile [[fiber]] obtained from [[sheep]] and other [[mammal]]s, especially [[goat|goats]], [[rabbit]]s, and [[camelid]]s.<ref name="Braaten 2005">{{cite book|last=Braaten|first=Ann W.|title=Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion|year=2005|volume=3|publisher=[[Thomson Gale]]|isbn=0-684-31394-4|pages=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofcl00vale/page/n471 441]–443|editor=Steele, Valerie|chapter=Wool|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofcl00vale}}</ref> The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as [[mineral wool]] and [[glass wool]], that have some properties similar to animal wool.

Wool is an [[animal fiber]] and consists of protein together with a small percentage of [[lipid]]s. This makes it chemically quite distinct from cotton and other plant fibers, which are mainly cellulose, and akin to silk, another animal fiber composed primarily of protein. 

Today the largest market for wool is for wool from sheep.{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}} Wool's unique characteristics have made it highly valuable for clothing and textiles. It has a long history being used for apparel and other items while fueling trade and economic growth in many countries. Wool is still used in clothing today and is often mixed with other fabrics. After being shorn, wool must be processed in order to be turned into its desired product, and it is still largely important for textiles both privately and commercially, and is even used in art.

==Characteristics==
[[File:Hogget fleece.JPG|thumb|Champion [[Glossary of sheep husbandry|hogget]] fleece, [[Walcha, New South Wales|Walcha]] Show]]Wool is most commonly obtained from sheep. It is generally a creamy white color, although some breeds of sheep produce natural colors, such as black, brown, silver, and other random mixes. Wool is produced by [[Hair follicle|follicles]] which are small cells located in the skin. These follicles are located in the upper layer of the skin called the [[epidermis]] and push down into the second skin layer called the [[dermis]] as the wool fibers grow. Follicles can be classed as either primary or secondary follicles. Primary follicles produce three types of fiber: [[Kemp (wool)|kemp]], medullated fibers, and true wool fibers. On sheep, the hair part of the fleece is called [[Kemp (wool)|kemp]]. Medullated fibers share nearly identical characteristics to hair, but lack crimp and elasticity. Kemp fibers are very coarse and shed out.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Storey's Guide to Raising Sheep|last=Simmons|first=Paula|publisher=Storey Publishing|year=2009|location=North Adams, MA|pages=315–316}}</ref> Secondary follicles only produce true wool fibers. True wool has several qualities that distinguish it from hair or fur: it is [[Crimp (wool)|crimped]] and [[Elasticity (physics)|elastic]].<ref>{{cite book|last=D'Arcy|first=John B.|title=Sheep and Wool Technology|publisher=NSW University Press|location=Kensington|year=1986|isbn=0-86840-106-4}}</ref> [[File: Wool fleece and top.jpg|thumb|Fleece of fine New Zealand [[Merino]] wool and combed wool top on a wool table]]

=== Crimp ===
Crimp refers to the strong natural wave present in each wool fiber. Wool's crimp, and to a lesser degree [[Cuticle (hair)|scales]], make it easier to [[Spinning (textiles)|spin]] the fleece by helping the individual fibers attach, so they stay together. Because of the crimp, wool fabrics have greater bulk than other textiles, and they hold air, which causes the fabric to retain heat.  The amount of crimp corresponds to the fineness of the wool fibers. A fine wool like [[Merino]] may have up to 40 crimps per centimetre (100 crimps per inch), while coarser wool like [[Karakul (sheep)|karakul]] may have less than one (one or two crimps per inch). In contrast, hair has little if any [[Cuticle (hair)|scale]] and no crimp, and little ability to bind into [[yarn]].  The relative amounts of kemp to wool vary from breed to breed and make some fleeces more desirable for [[Spinning (textiles)|spinning]], [[felting]], or [[carding]] into [[Batting (material)|batts]] for quilts or other insulating products.

=== Felting ===
The felting of wool occurs upon hammering or other mechanical agitation as the microscopic barbs on the surface of wool fibers hook together. Felting generally falls under two main areas, dry felting and wet felting. Wet felting occurs when water and a lubricant (especially an alkali such as soap) are applied to the wool which is then agitated until the fibers mix and bond together. Temperature shock while damp or wet accentuates the felting process. Some natural felting can occur on the animal's back.<!--Not true (steel wool, rock wool, etc. in US While in the United States the term 'wool' is usually restricted to describing the fibrous [[protein]] derived from the specialized skin cells called [[Hair follicle|follicles]] in sheep, in the UK the term may be used of any long curling fiber such as 'wood wool', 'wire wool', etc.<ref>Australian Wool Corporation, Australian Wool Classing, Raw Wool Services, 1990</ref> -->

=== Absorption ===
Wool fibers [[Hydrophilic|readily absorb moisture]], but are not hollow. Wool can absorb almost one-third of its own weight in water.<ref name=":0">[http://www.aussiesheepandwool.com.au/webcontent5.htm Wool Facts] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140526094929/http://www.aussiesheepandwool.com.au/webcontent5.htm |date=2014-05-26 }}. Aussiesheepandwool.com.au. Retrieved on 2012-08-05.</ref> Wool absorbs sound like many other fabrics. 

=== Flammability ===
Wool ignites at a higher temperature than cotton and some [[Synthetic fiber|synthetic fibers]]. It has a lower rate of [[flame spread]], a lower rate of heat release, a lower [[heat of combustion]], and does not melt or drip;<ref>[http://www.tricountyfarm.org/oregon_wool.asp Wool History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509143234/http://www.tricountyfarm.org/oregon_wool.asp |date=2008-05-09 }}. Tricountyfarm.org. Retrieved on 2012-08-05.</ref> it forms a char that is insulating and self-extinguishing, and it contributes less to toxic gases and smoke than other flooring products when used in carpets.<ref name="The Land p.46">The Land, Merinos – Going for Green and Gold, p.46, US use flame resistance, 21 August 2008</ref> Wool carpets are specified for high safety environments, such as trains and aircraft. Wool is usually specified for [[garments]] for firefighters, soldiers, and others in occupations where they are exposed to the likelihood of fire.<ref name="The Land p.46" />

Wool causes an [[allergic contact dermatitis|allergic reaction]] in some people.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Allergic contact dermatitis in children: review of the past decade|journal = Current Allergy and Asthma Reports|date = 2014-04-01|pmid = 24504525|pages = 421|volume = 14|issue = 4|doi = 10.1007/s11882-014-0421-0|first1 = Shehla|last1 = Admani|first2 = Sharon E.|last2 = Jacob|s2cid = 33537360}}</ref>

==Processing==

=== Shearing ===
{{Main article|Sheep shearing}}

[[File:Merino shearing.jpg|thumb|Fine Merino shearing in [[Lismore, Victoria]]]]

[[Sheep shearing]] is the process in which a worker (a [[Sheep shearer|shearer]]) cuts off the woollen fleece of a sheep. The quality of fleeces is determined by a technique known as [[wool classing]], whereby a qualified person, called a wool classer, groups wools of similar grading together to maximize the return for the farmer or sheep owner. [[Wool-classer|Wool-classers]] separate the wool into four main categories:

* Fleece (which makes up the vast bulk)
** Best quality and highest value wool, often the longest and cleanest with the most uniform crimp
* Broken Fleece
** High quality, but has broken into smaller pieces than the normal fleece
* Bellies
** From the underside of the sheep, commonly stained and less dense resulting in lower value
* Locks
** Shortest pieces of fleece often from a miscut by the shearer, lowest quality and value{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}}

===Scouring===
[[File:CSIRO ScienceImage 11160 Siroscour.jpg|thumb|Wool before and after scouring]]

Wool straight off a sheep is known as "raw wool", "greasy wool"<ref name="AWEX w">Preparation of Australian Wool Clips, Code of Practice 2010–2012, Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX), 2010</ref> or "wool in the grease". This wool contains a high level of valuable [[lanolin]], as well as the sheep's dead skin and sweat residue, and generally also contains pesticides and vegetable matter from the animal's environment. Before the wool can be used for commercial purposes, it must be scoured, a process of cleaning the greasy wool. Scouring may be as simple as a bath in warm water or as complicated as an industrial process using [[detergent]] and [[alkali]] in specialized equipment.<ref>{{cite web
 |title       = Technology in Australia 1788–1988
 |url         = http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/267.html
 |publisher   = Australian Science and Technology Heritage Center
 |year         = 2001
 |access-date  = 2006-04-30
 |url-status    = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20060514094411/http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/267.html
 |archive-date = 2006-05-14
}}</ref>
In [[north west England]], special [[potash pit]]s were constructed to produce [[potash]] used in the manufacture of a soft soap for scouring locally produced white wool.

Vegetable matter in commercial wool is often removed by chemical [[carbonization]].<ref>{{cite thesis |author= Wu Zhao |date=1987 |title=A study of wool carbonizing |type=PhD |publisher= University of New South Wales. School of Fibre Science and Technology |url= http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/18809758?selectedversion=NBD5989374 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141030125807/http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/18809758?selectedversion=NBD5989374 |archive-date=30 October 2014}}
</ref>
In less-processed wools, vegetable matter may be removed by hand and some of the lanolin left intact through the use of gentler detergents. This semigrease wool can be worked into yarn and knitted into particularly [[Aran jumper| water-resistant mittens or sweaters]], such as those of the [[Aran Islands|Aran Island]] fishermen. Lanolin removed from wool is widely used in [[Cosmetics|cosmetic]] products such as [[hand cream]]s.

==Fineness and yield==
Raw wool has many impurities; vegetable matter, sand, dirt and yolk which is a mixture of suint (sweat), grease, urine stains and dung locks. The sheep's body yields many types of wool with differing strengths, thicknesses, length of staple and impurities. The raw wool (greasy) is processed into 'top'. 'Worsted top' requires strong straight and parallel fibres.

{| class="wikitable"
!Common name!!Part of sheep!!Style of wool
|-
|Fine||Shoulder||Fine, uniform and very dense
|-
|Near||Sides||Fine, uniform and strong
|-
|Downrights||Neck||Short and irregular, lower quality
|-
|Choice||Back||Shorter staple, open and less strong
|-
|Abb||Haunches||Longer, stronger staple
|-
|Seconds||Belly||Short, tender, matted and dirty
|-
|Top-not||Head||Stiff, very coarse, rough and kempy
|-
|Brokes||Forelegs||Short, irregular and faulty
|-
|Cowtail||Hindlegs||Very strong, coarse and hairy
|-
|Britch||Tail||Very coarse, kempy and dirty
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;" | Source:{{sfn|Bradford Industrial Museum|2015}} 
|}

[[File:Wool samples 2.JPG|thumb|Various types and natural colors of wool, and a picture made from wool]]
The quality of wool is determined by its fiber diameter, [[Wool classing#crimp|crimp]], yield, color, and staple strength. Fiber diameter is the single most important wool characteristic determining quality and price.

The finest and most valuable wool comes from [[Merino]] [[Domestic sheep|hoggets]]. Merino wool is typically 90–115 mm (3.5–4.5 in) in length and is very fine.<ref name="Australia">{{cite web |title = Merino Sheep in Australia  | url=http://www.merinos.com.au/history.asp
  | access-date = 2006-11-10 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061105005633/http://www.merinos.com.au/history.asp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2006-11-05}}</ref>(between 12 and 24 microns). Because of this, Merinos are typically graded separately from other breeds: 

{| class="wikitable"
|+Merinos
|-
! Diameter in microns!!Name
|-
|< 15.5|| Ultrafine Merino<ref name="AWEX w"/>
|-
|15.6–18.5|| Superfine Merino
|-
|18.6–20||Fine Merino<ref name="AWEX w"/>
|-
|20.1–23|| Medium Merino
|-
|> 23|| Strong Merino<ref name="AWEX w"/>
|}
The grades of wool may vary depending on the breed or purpose of the wool. Wool taken from sheep produced for meat, for instance, is typically coarser, and has fibers 40–150 mm (1.5–6 in) in length. Damage or breaks in the wool can occur if the sheep is stressed while it is growing its fleece, resulting in a thin spot where the fleece is likely to break<ref name="D'Arcy" />. Different breeds have different average microns, and therefore value:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Breeds
|-
!Breeds!!Diameter
|-
|[[Comeback (sheep)|Comeback]]|| 21–26 microns, white, {{convert|90|-|180|mm|in|abbr=on}} long
|-
| Fine crossbred|| 27–31 microns, [[Corriedale]]s, etc.
|-
| Medium crossbred|| 32–35 microns
|-
|Downs|| 23–34 microns, typically lacks luster and brightness. Examples, [[Aussiedown (sheep)|Aussiedown]], [[Dorset Horn]], [[Suffolk (sheep)|Suffolk]], etc.<ref name="D'Arcy">{{cite book|last=D'Arcy|first=John B.|title=Sheep Management & Wool Technology|publisher=NSW University Press|year=1986|isbn=0-86840-106-4}}</ref>
|-
|Coarse crossbred|| >36 microns
|-
|Carpet wools|| 35–45 microns<ref name="AWEX w"/>
|}The finest Australian and New Zealand Merino wools are known as 1PP, which is the industry benchmark of excellence for Merino wool 16.9 microns and finer. This style represents the top level of fineness, character, color, and style as determined on the basis of a series of parameters in accordance with the original dictates of British wool as applied by the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX) Council. Only a few dozen of the millions of bales auctioned every year can be classified and marked 1PP.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.awex.com.au/standards/1pp-certification.html|title=1PP Certification|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-07-18 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718231815/http://www.awex.com.au/standards/1pp-certification.html|website=Australian Wool Exchange }}</ref>

In the United States, three classifications of wool are named in the [[Wool Products Labeling Act]] of 1939.<ref name="Freer">Robert E. Freer. [https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_statements/674191/194607_freer_the_wool_products_labeling_act_of_1939.pdf "The Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605081144/https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_statements/674191/194607_freer_the_wool_products_labeling_act_of_1939.pdf |date=2016-06-05 }} ''Temple Law Quarterly.'' '''20.1''' (July 1946). p. 47. Reprinted at ftc.gov. Retrieved 1 May 2016.</ref> Wool is "the fiber from the fleece of the sheep or lamb or hair of the Angora or Cashmere goat (and may include the so-called specialty fibers from the hair of the camel, alpaca, llama, and vicuna) which has never been reclaimed from any woven or felted wool product".<ref name="Freer"/> "Virgin wool" and "new wool" are also used to refer to such never used wool. There are two categories of [[recycled wool]] (also called reclaimed or shoddy wool). "Reprocessed wool" identifies "wool which has been woven or felted into a wool product and subsequently reduced to a fibrous state without having been used by the ultimate consumer".<ref name="Freer"/> "Reused wool" refers to such wool that ''has'' been used by the ultimate consumer.<ref name="Freer"/>

==History==
{{Further|History of clothing and textiles|Medieval English wool trade}}

=== Before current era ===
[[File:Tibetan spinning wool.jpg|thumb|A 1905 illustration of a Tibetan man spinning wool]]

[[Mouflon|Wild sheep]] were more hairy than woolly. Although sheep were domesticated some 9,000 to 11,000 years ago, archaeological evidence from [[statuary]] found at sites in [[Iran]] suggests selection for woolly sheep may have begun around 6000&nbsp;BC,<ref>{{Cite book |title=Sheep and Goat Science, Fifth Edition |last=Ensminger |first=M. E. |author2=R. O. Parker |year=1986 |publisher=The Interstate Printers and Publishers Inc |location=Danville, Illinois |isbn=0-8134-2464-X}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title =Sheep: small-scale sheep keeping for pleasure and profit |last =Weaver |first =Sue |year =2005 |publisher =Hobby Farm Press, an imprint of BowTie Press, a division of BowTie Inc. |location =Irvine, CA |isbn =1-931993-49-1 }}</ref> with the earliest known woven wool garments having only been dated to two to three thousand years later.<ref>{{cite book |title = Beginning Shepherd's Manual, Second Edition |last1=Smith |first1 =Barbara|last2 =Kennedy |first2 =Gerald |last3 =Aseltine |first3 =Mark |year =1997 |publisher =Iowa State University Press |location= Ames, IA |isbn =0-8138-2799-X}}</ref> Woolly sheep were introduced into Europe from the Near East in the early part of the 4th millennium BC. The oldest known European wool textile, {{Circa|1500 BC}}, was preserved in a [[Bog people|Danish bog]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.woolmark.com/about_education_fibre.php?PHPSESSID=10d80556668ed0847e77b83c64c3c225 |archive-url =https://archive.today/20060828001755/http://www.woolmark.com/about_education_fibre.php?PHPSESSID=10d80556668ed0847e77b83c64c3c225 |url-status =dead |archive-date =2006-08-28 |title =Fibre history|publisher =Woolmark}}</ref> Prior to the invention of shears—probably in the [[Iron Age]] — wool was plucked out by hand or with [[bronze]] combs. In [[Roman Empire|Roman]] times, wool, [[linen]], and leather clothed the European population; cotton from India was a curiosity of which only naturalists had heard, and silks, imported along the [[Silk Road]] from China, were extravagant [[luxury-goods]]. [[Pliny the Elder]] records in his ''[[Natural History (Pliny)|Natural History]]'' that the reputation for producing the finest wool was enjoyed by [[Taranto|Tarentum]], where selective breeding had produced sheep with superior fleeces, but which required special care.

=== 12th and 13th centuries ===
[[Economies of scale]] were instituted in the [[Cistercian]] houses, which had accumulated great tracts of land during the 12th and early 13th centuries, when land prices were low and labor still scarce. Raw wool was baled and shipped from [[North Sea]] ports to the textile cities of [[Flanders]], notably [[Ypres]] and [[Ghent]], where it was dyed and worked up as cloth.{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}} As trade connections expanded in medieval Europe, the [[Champagne fairs]] revolved around the production of wool cloth in small centers such as [[Provins]]. The network developed by the annual fairs meant that the woolens of Provins might find their way to [[Naples]], Sicily, [[Cyprus]], [[Mallorca]], Spain, and even [[Constantinople]].<ref name="Braudel">[[Fernand Braudel]], 1982. ''The Wheels of Commerce'', vol 2 of ''Civilization and Capitalism'' (New York:Harper & Row), pp. 312–317</ref> The wool trade developed into serious undertaking, a generator of capital, and in the 13th century, the wool trade became the economic engine of the [[Low Countries]] and central Italy. <ref>{{cite book |last1=Bell |first1=Adrian R. |last2=Brooks |first2=Chris |author-link2=Chris Brooks (academic) |last3=Dryburgh |first3=Paul |date=2007 |title=The English Wool Market, c.1230–1327 |location=Cambridge |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9780521859417 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/englishwoolmarke0000bell }}</ref> 

A great deal of the value of woollen textiles was in the [[dyeing]] and [[Finishing (textiles)|finishing]] of the woven product. In each of the centers of the textile trade, the manufacturing process came to be subdivided into a collection of trades, overseen by an [[entrepreneur]] in a system called by the English the "putting-out" system, or "cottage industry", and the ''Verlagssystem'' by the Germans. {{Citation needed|date=March 2026}}In this system of producing wool cloth, once perpetuated in the production of [[Harris tweed|Harris tweeds]], the entrepreneur provides the raw materials and an advance, the remainder being paid upon delivery of the product. Written contracts bound the artisans to specified terms. [[Fernand Braudel]] traces the appearance of the system in the 13th-century economic boom, quoting a document of 1275. The system effectively bypassed the [[guilds' restrictions]]. In the same year, 1275, the English crown had imposed an export tax on wool called the "Great Custom".<ref name="Braudel" />

=== 14th and 15th centuries ===
During the 14th century, wool continued to play a central role in the English economy, and this can be seen in the fact that since then, the presiding officer of the [[House of Lords]] has sat on the "[[Woolsack]]", a chair stuffed with wool. At the time of the [[Black Death]] (1346-1353), English textile industries consumed about 10% of English wool production, and the English textile trade continued to grow during the 15th century, to the point where the export of wool was discouraged.{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}}

By the end of the 14th century, Italy predominated in the European wool trade.<ref name="Braudel" /> Before the flowering of the [[Renaissance]], the [[Medici]] and other great banking houses of Florence had built their wealth and banking system on their textile industry based on wool, overseen by the [[Arte della Lana]], the wool guild: wool-textile interests guided Florentine policies. The Florentine wool [[Guild of Florence|guild]], [[Arte della Lana]], sent imported English wool to the San Martino [[convent]] for processing, while Italian wool from [[Abruzzo]] and Spanish merino wools were processed at [[Garbo workshops]]. {{Citation needed|date=March 2026}}Abruzzo wool had once been the most accessible for the Florentine guild, until improved relations with merchants in [[Iberia]] made merino wool more available. [[Francesco Datini]], the "merchant of Prato", established in 1383 an ''Arte della Lana'' for that small Tuscan city. In the 15th century Pisa established a factory "which would export its cloths to the Crimea in exchange for Russian furs".<ref>
{{cite book
 |last1                = Parks
 |first1               = George Bruner
 |year                 = 1954
 |title                = The English Traveler to Italy
 |volume               = 1
 |url                  = https://books.google.com/books?id=h64LEYa_cVAC
 |series               = Storia e letteratura, volume 46
 |publication-place    = Rome
 |publisher            = Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura
 |page                 = 407
 |access-date          = 1 February 2025
 |quote                = [...] the establishment at Pisa of a factory [...] which would export its cloths to the Crimea in exchange for Russian furs. [...] Portinari thought of making Pisa a wool centre for the Mediterranean, whence English wool might be dispatched to Florence, Genoa, and Milan for manufacture, and Spanish wool be manufactured in Pisa for export to the east
}} 
</ref> At the same time, the sheepwalks of [[Castile (historical region)|Castile]] were controlled by the [[Mesta]] union of sheep-owners. They shaped the landscape and the fortunes of the ''[[Meseta Central|meseta]]'' that lies in the heart of the Iberian peninsula.

=== 16th century to modern era ===
In the 16th century, a unified Spain allowed export of [[merino]] lambs only with royal permission. Towards the end of this century, Italian wool exports to the Levant had declined, and were eventually replaced by silk production. After the [[Restoration (England)|Restoration]] of 1660, fine English woolens began to compete with silks in the international market, partly aided by the [[Navigation Acts]]; in 1699, the English Crown forbade its American colonies to trade wool with anyone but England herself.

====Calico Acts====
{{see|Calico Acts}}
[[File:Spinning and carding wool - The costume of Yorkshire (1814), plate XXIX, opposite 69 - BL.jpg|thumb|George Walker, 1814]]
Over the centuries, various British laws controlled the wool trade or required the use of wool even in burials.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Beckert |first1=Sven |title=Empire of Cotton: A Global History |date=2 December 2014 |publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-385-35325-0 |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=UyyOAwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref> The smuggling of wool out of the country, known as [[Owling (legal term)|owling]], was at one time punishable by the cutting off of a hand. Later, the [[Industrial Revolution]] introduced mass-production technology into wool- and wool-cloth-manufacturing. Australia's colonial economy came to depend on sheep-raising, and the Australian wool trade eventually overtook that of the Germans by 1845, furnishing wool for [[Bradford]], which developed as the heart of industrialized woolens production.<ref>{{cite web |title=Florentine Woolen Manufacture in the Sixteenth Century:Crisis and New Entrepreneurial Strategies |website=THe Business History Conference |url=https://thebhc.org/sites/default/files/ammannati.pdf}}</ref><ref name="Braudel" />
====20th century====
Due to decreasing demand for wool with increased use of synthetic fibers, wool production is much less than what it was in the past. The collapse in the price of wool began in late 1966 with a 40% drop; with occasional interruptions, the price has tended down. The result has been sharply reduced production and the movement of resources into production of other commodities, in the case of sheep growers, to production of meat.<ref>[http://www.teara.govt.nz/NewZealandInBrief/Economy/10/en "The end of pastoral dominance"] {{webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070819142006/http://www.teara.govt.nz/NewZealandInBrief/Economy/10/en |date =2007-08-19 }}. Teara.govt.nz (2009-03-03). Retrieved on 2012-08-05.</ref><ref>[http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/90a12181d877a6a6ca2568b5007b861c/3852d05cd2263db5ca2569de0026c588!OpenDocument 1301.0 – Year Book Australia, 2000] {{webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170701015749/http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/90a12181d877a6a6ca2568b5007b861c/3852d05cd2263db5ca2569de0026c588!OpenDocument |date=2017-07-01 }}, Australian Bureau of Statistics</ref><ref>[http://johnhanly.com/blog/the-history-of-wool/ "The History of Wool"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427111507/http://johnhanly.com/blog/the-history-of-wool/ |date=2015-04-27 }}. johnhanly.com</ref>

Superwash wool (or washable wool) technology first appeared in the early 1970s, producing wool that has been specially treated so it is machine washable and may be tumble-dried. This wool is produced using an acid bath that removes the "scales" from the fiber, or by coating the fiber with a polymer that prevents the scales from attaching to each other and causing shrinkage. This process results in a fiber that holds longevity and durability better than synthetic materials, while retaining garment shape.<ref>[http://knitting.about.com/od/knittingglossary/g/superwash_wool.htm Superwash Wool] {{webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090309080945/http://knitting.about.com/od/knittingglossary/g/superwash_wool.htm |date =2009-03-09 }} Retrieved on 10 November 2008</ref>
====21st century====
In December 2004, a bale of the then world's finest wool, averaging 11.8 microns, sold for AU$3,000 per kilogram at auction in [[Melbourne]]. This fleece wool tested with an average yield of 74.5%, 68 mm (2.7 in) long, and had 40 newtons per [[kilotex]] strength. The result was A$279,000 for the bale.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050616181510/http://landmark.com.au/doc_display.asp?id=10296&cat=118&topid=118 World’s Finest Bale Record Broken]. landmark.com.au, 22 November 2004</ref> In December 2006, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed 2009 to be the [[International Year of Natural Fibres]], so as to raise the profile of wool and of other [[Natural fiber|natural fibers]]. In 2007, a new wool suit was developed and sold in Japan which can be washed in the shower, and which dries off ready to wear within hours with no ironing required. The suit, developed using Australian merino wool, enables woven products made from wool, such as suits, trousers, and skirts, to be cleaned using a domestic shower.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/rural/nsw/content/2006/s2368239.htm Shower suit] {{webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110822082234/http://www.abc.net.au/rural/nsw/content/2006/s2368239.htm |date =2011-08-22 }} Retrieved on 11 November 2008</ref> The finest bale of wool ever [[Auction|auctioned]] was sold for a seasonal record of AU$2690 per kilo during June 2008. This bale was produced by the Hillcreston Pinehill Partnership and measured 11.6 microns, 72.1% yield, and had a 43 newtons per kilotex strength measurement. The bale realized $247,480 and was exported to India.<ref>Country Leader, NSW Wool Sells for a Quarter of a Million, 7 July 2008</ref>

[[File:Sheep club2.jpg|thumb|A [[World War I]]-era poster sponsored by the [[United States Department of Agriculture]] encouraging children to raise sheep to provide needed war supplies]]

==Production==
Global wool production is about {{convert|2|e6t|e6ST|abbr=off}} per year, of which 60% goes into apparel. Wool comprises around 3% of the global textile market, but its value is higher owing to dyeing and other modifications of the material.<ref name="Braaten 2005" /> China is the largest producer of Wool by weight, and Australia leads the market in the most Merino wool produced.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sheep101.info/wool.html|title=Sheep 101|access-date=17 September 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128052739/http://www.sheep101.info/wool.html|archive-date=28 November 2016}} According to this chart, US production is around {{convert|10000 |t|short ton}}, hugely at variance with the percentage list, and way outside year-to-year variability.</ref> New Zealand (2016) is the third-largest producer of wool, and the largest producer of crossbred wool. Breeds such as [[Lincoln (sheep)|Lincoln]], [[Romney (sheep)|Romney]], [[Drysdale (sheep)|Drysdale]], and [[Elliotdale]] produce coarser fibers, and wool from these sheep is usually used for making carpets.

In the United States, [[Texas]], [[New Mexico]], and [[Colorado]] have large commercial sheep flocks and their mainstay is the [[Rambouillet (sheep)|Rambouillet]] (or French Merino). Also, a thriving home-flock contingent of small-scale farmers raise small hobby flocks of specialty sheep for the hand-spinning market. These small-scale farmers offer a wide selection of fleece. 
Global woolclip (total amount of wool shorn) 2020<ref>{{cite web|title=FAOSTAT|url=http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC/visualize|publisher= [[FAOSTAT]] (Food And Agriculture Organization Of The United Nations Statistics) |access-date=May 17, 2020}}</ref>
{| class=wikitable
! Rank !! Country !! %
|-
| 1 || China || 19{{efn|percent of global wool-clip (334 million kilograms [740 million pounds] greasy, 2020)}}
|-
| 2 || Australia || 16
|-
| 3 || New Zealand || {{0}}8
|-
| 4 || Turkey || {{0}}4
|-
| 5 || United Kingdom || {{0}}4
|-
| 6 || Morocco || {{0}}3
|-
| 7 || Iran || {{0}}3
|-
| 8 || Russia || {{0}}3
|-
| 9 || South Africa || {{0}}3
|-
| 10 || India || {{0}}3
|}{{Notelist}}
[[Animal rights]] groups have noted issues with the production of wool, such as [[mulesing]].

==Marketing==
{{More citations needed section|date=December 2017}}

===Australia===
[[File:CSIRO ScienceImage 1054 Wool Fibre of the gods.jpg|thumb|"Wool: Fibre of the gods, created – not man-made" [[CSIRO]] marketing poster describing the benefits of wool]]
[[File:Wool samples.JPG|thumb|Merino wool samples for sale by [[auction]], Newcastle, [[New South Wales]]]]
About 85% of wool sold in Australia is sold by open cry [[auction]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/business/awh-to-set-up-wool-auctions-20040407-gdxmtw.html|title=AWH to set up wool auctions|last=Bolt|first=C|date=2004-04-07|website=The Age|language=en|access-date=2019-05-27}}</ref> 

[[File:ABS-7215.0-LivestockProductsAustralia-BrokersDealersReceivalsTaxableWool-AllSeries-BrokersDealersReceivalsTaxableWool-Australia-A2060656A.svg|thumb|left|Wool received by Australian brokers and dealers (tonnes/quarter) since 1973]]
[[File:Wool auction.JPG|thumb|Wool buyers' room at a wool auction, Newcastle, New South Wales]]

===Other countries===
[[File:Wanha Villatehdas.jpg|thumb|''Wanha Villatehdas'', a former wool factory in [[Hyvinkää]], [[Finland]]]]
The [[British Wool Marketing Board]] operates a central marketing system for UK fleece wool with the aim of achieving the best possible net returns for farmers.

Less than half of New Zealand's wool is sold at auction, while around 45% of farmers sell wool directly to private buyers and end-users.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100212175838/http://www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/rural-nz/overview/nzoverview009.htm Wool Production in New Zealand]. maf.govt.nz</ref>

United States sheep producers market wool with private or cooperative wool warehouses, but wool pools are common in many states. In some cases, wool is pooled in a local market area, but sold through a wool warehouse. Wool offered with objective measurement test results is preferred. Imported apparel wool and carpet wool goes directly to central markets, where it is handled by the large merchants and manufacturers.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071113055826/http://www.sheepusa.org/index.phtml?page=site%2Ftext&nav_id=b5cd92c158e527a90be72c1ce8be84a2 Wool Marketing]. sheepusa.org</ref>



== Textile Uses ==

=== Yarn ===
[[File:Worsted wool yarn.JPG|thumb| Woollen [[yarn]]]]

Most commonly, before being turned into clothing or other items, wool must first be processed into yarn. Different types of wool have different characteristics and can be turned into different types of yarn. For instance, [[shoddy]] or recycled wool is made by cutting or tearing apart existing wool fabric and respinning the resulting fibers.<ref name=Kadolph>{{cite book|editor-last=Kadolph|editor-first=Sara J|title=Textiles|edition=10|publisher=Pearson/Prentice-Hall|year=2007|isbn=978-0-13-118769-6|page=[https://archive.org/details/textiles0010kado/page/63 63]|url=https://archive.org/details/textiles0010kado/page/63}}</ref> As this process makes the wool fibers shorter, the remanufactured fabric is inferior to the original. The recycled wool may be mixed with raw wool, wool [[noil]], or another fiber such as cotton to increase the average fiber length. Such [[yarn]]s are typically used as [[weft]] yarns with a cotton [[warp (weaving)|warp]]. This process was invented in the [[Heavy Woollen District]] of [[West Yorkshire]] and created a microeconomy in this area for many years.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shell |first1=Hanna Rose |title=Leftovers / Devil's Dust |url=https://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/60/shell.php |website=cabinetmagazine.org |language=en}}</ref>

[[Worsted]] is a strong, long-[[staple (wool)|staple]], [[combing|combed]] wool yarn with a hard surface.<ref name=Kadolph/>

[[Woolen]] is a soft, short-staple, [[carding|carded]] wool yarn typically used for knitting.<ref name=Kadolph/> In traditional weaving, woolen weft yarn (for softness and warmth) is frequently combined with a worsted warp yarn for strength on the loom.<ref>{{cite book|last=Østergård|first=Else|title=Woven into the Earth: Textiles from Norse Greenland|publisher=Aarhus University Press|year=2004|isbn=87-7288-935-7|page=50}}</ref>

After the yarn is made, it can be mixed with other materials and then woven or knit into the desired product.

=== Apparel ===
Any wool finer than 25 microns can be used for garments, while coarser grades are used for outerwear or rugs. The finer the wool, the softer it is, while coarser grades are more durable and less prone to [[pill (textile)|pilling]]. Like silk, the proteinaceous nature of wool requires special detergents when being cleaned because laundry detergents made to clean cellulose-based fabrics often contain stain-removing enzymes that digest protein.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Best Wool Wash Detergent to Use When Washing Wool {{!}} The Woolmark Company|url=https://www.woolmark.com/care/which-laundry-detergent-should-i-use-when-washing-wool/|website=www.woolmark.com|access-date=2025-11-30|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Braaten 2005" />

Wool has a long history of being used for many different types of clothing. Many characteristics of wool allow for versatile fabric and clothing. For instance, wool has a high [[specific thermal resistance]], so it impedes heat transfer in general. This effect has benefited desert peoples, as [[Bedouin|Bedouins]] and [[Tuareg people|Tuaregs]] use wool clothes for insulation{{Citation needed|date=April 2026}}. Furthermore, semigrease wool can be worked into yarn and knitted into particularly [[Aran jumper|water-resistant mittens or sweaters]], such as those of the [[Aran Islands|Aran Island]] fishermen {{Citation needed|date=April 2026}}. Wool is commonly used today for many types of clothing, and initial studies of woollen underwear have found it prevented heat and sweat rashes because it more readily absorbs the moisture than other fibers.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/rural/qld/content/2007/s2282890.htm ABC Rural Radio: Woodhams, Dr. Libby, ''New research shows woollen underwear helps prevent rashes''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823085822/http://www.abc.net.au/rural/qld/content/2007/s2282890.htm |date=2011-08-23 }} Retrieved 2010-3-24</ref>

=== Other Uses ===
In addition to clothing, wool has been used for [[blankets]], [[Suit|suits]], [[Horse blanket|horse rugs]], saddle cloths, [[carpeting]], insulation and upholstery. Dyed wool can be used to create other forms of art such as wet and needle felting. Wool felt covers piano hammers, and it is used to absorb odors and noise in heavy machinery and stereo speakers. Ancient Greeks lined their helmets with felt, and Roman legionnaires used breastplates made of wool felt.

Wool as well as cotton has also been traditionally used for [[cloth diapers]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Snodgrass|first=Mary Ellen|title=World Clothing and Fashion : an Encyclopedia of History, Culture, and Social Influence.|date=2015|publisher=Taylor and Francis|isbn=978-1-317-45167-9|location=Hoboken|pages=49–51|oclc=910448387}}</ref> Wool fiber exteriors are hydrophobic (repel water) and the interior of the wool fiber is [[hygroscopic]] (attracts water); this makes a wool garment suitable cover for a wet diaper by inhibiting wicking, so outer garments remain dry. Wool felted and treated with [[lanolin]] is water resistant, air permeable, and slightly antibacterial, so it resists the buildup of odor. Some modern cloth diapers use felted wool fabric for covers, and there are several modern commercial knitting patterns for wool diaper covers.

As an animal protein, wool can be used as a soil fertilizer, being a slow-release source of nitrogen.

Researchers at the [[Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology]] school of fashion and textiles have discovered a blend of wool and [[Kevlar]], the synthetic fiber widely used in body armor, was lighter, cheaper and worked better in damp conditions than Kevlar alone. Kevlar, when used alone, loses about 20% of its effectiveness when wet, so required an expensive waterproofing process. Wool increased friction in a vest with 28–30 layers of fabric, to provide the same level of bullet resistance as 36 layers of Kevlar alone.<ref>{{cite news|last=Blenkin|first=Max|title=Wool's tough new image|newspaper=Country Leader|date=2011-04-11}}</ref>

==Events==
[[File:Lady Weaving Wool.JPG|thumb|[[Andes|Andean]] woman sorting wool as part of the theme park [[Los Aleros]] in [[Mérida, Mérida|Mérida]], [[Venezuela]]]]
A buyer of [[Merino wool]], [[Ermenegildo Zegna (businessman)|Ermenegildo Zegna]], has offered awards for Australian wool producers. In 1963, the first Ermenegildo Zegna Perpetual Trophy was presented in Tasmania for growers of "Superfine skirted Merino fleece". In 1980, a national award, the Ermenegildo Zegna Trophy for Extrafine Wool Production (later renamed the Ermenegildo Zegna Unprotected Wool Trophy), was launched. In 1998, an Ermenegildo Zegna Protected Wool Trophy was launched for fleece from sheep coated for around nine months of the year.

In 2002, the Ermenegildo Zegna Vellus Aureum Trophy was launched for wool that is 13.9 microns or finer. Wool from Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and South Africa may enter, and a winner is named from each country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=345179|title=2004/51/1 Trophy and plaque, Ermenegildo Zegna Vellus Aureum trophy and plaque, plaster / bronze / silver / gold, trophy designed and made by Not Vital for Ermenegildo Zegna, Switzerland, 2001|publisher=[[Powerhouse Museum]], Sydney|access-date=2008-04-27|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070519134910/http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=345179|archive-date=2007-05-19}}</ref> In April 2008, New Zealand won the Ermenegildo Zegna Vellus Aureum Trophy for the first time with a fleece that measured 10.8 microns. This contest awards the winning fleece weight with the same weight in gold as a prize, hence the name.

In 2010, an ultrafine, 10-micron fleece, from Windradeen, near Pyramul, New South Wales, won the Ermenegildo Zegna Vellus Aureum International Trophy.<ref>Country Leader, 26 April 2010, ''Finest wool rewarded'', Rural Press, North Richmond</ref>

Since 2000, [[Loro Piana]] has awarded a cup for the world's finest bale of wool that produces just enough fabric for 50 tailor-made suits. The prize is awarded to an Australian or New Zealand wool grower who produces the year's finest bale.<ref>Australian Wool Network News, Issue #19, July 2008</ref>

The [[New England (Australia)|New England]] Merino Field days which display local studs, wool, and sheep are held during January, in even numbered years around the [[Walcha, New South Wales]] district. The Annual Wool Fashion Awards, which showcase the use of Merino wool by fashion designers, are hosted by the city of [[Armidale]], [[New South Wales]], in March each year. This event encourages young and established fashion designers to display their talents. During each May, Armidale hosts the annual New England Wool Expo to display wool fashions, handicrafts, demonstrations, shearing competitions, yard dog trials, and more.<ref name="Braaten 2005"/>

In July, the annual Australian Sheep and Wool Show is held in [[Bendigo]], [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]]. This is the largest sheep and wool show in the world, with goats and alpacas, as well as woolcraft competitions and displays, fleece competitions, sheepdog trials, shearing, and wool handling. The largest competition in the world for objectively measured fleeces is the Australian Fleece Competition, which is held annually at Bendigo. In 2008, 475 entries came from all states of Australia, with first and second prizes going to the [[Northern Tablelands]] fleeces.<ref>{{cite news |work=[[Walcha News]] |date=24 July 2008 |url=http://www.walchanewsonline.com.au/news/local/news/general/fletcher-wins-australian-fleece-comp/1224866.aspx |title=Fletcher Wins Australian Fleece Comp |archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080727044021/http://walcha.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/fletcher-wins-australian-fleece-comp/1224866.aspx |archive-date=27 July 2008 |url-status=dead |page=3 |access-date=5 August 2012 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Timeline of clothing and textiles technology]]

===Production===
{{Div col|colwidth=18em}}
*[[Glossary of sheep husbandry]]
*[[Lambswool]]
*[[Sheep husbandry]]
*[[Sheep shearing]]
*[[Wool bale]]
{{Div col end}}

===Processing===
{{Div col|colwidth=18em}}
*[[Canvas work]]
*[[Carding]]
*[[Combing]]
*[[Dyeing]]
*[[Fulling]]
*[[Knitting]]
*[[Spinning (textiles)|Spinning]]
*[[Textile manufacturing]]
*[[Weaving]]
{{Div col end}}

===Refined products===
{{Div col|colwidth=18em}}
*[[Felt]]
*[[Fiber art]]
*[[Tweed (cloth)|Tweed]]
*[[Worsted]]
*[[Yarn]]
*[[Wool crepe]]
{{Div col end}}

===Organizations===
{{Div col|colwidth=18em}}
*[[British Wool Marketing Board]]
*[[IWTO]]
*[[Worshipful Company of Woolmen]]
{{Div col end}}

===Miscellaneous wool and animal textiles===
{{Div col|colwidth=18em}}
*[[Alpaca wool]]
*[[Angora wool]]
*[[Camel hair]]
*[[Cashmere wool]]
*[[Chiengora|Chiengora wool]]
*[[Llama wool]]
*[[Lopi (knitting)|Lopi]]
*[[Mohair]]
*[[Pashmina]]
*[[Qiviut]]
*[[Shahtoosh]]
*[[Tibetan fur]]
*[[Vicuña wool]]
*[[Yak fiber]]
{{Div col end}}
===Inorganic wool===
{{Div col|colwidth=18em}}
*[[Glass wool]]
*[[Mineral wool]]
{{Div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

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{{Commons}}
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[[Category:Wool| ]]
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