7 of 20 Stages of the Evolution of British Wool
The Wool Board was set up in 1950, a government body with the role to regulate the marketing of an important national produce. The aim of the board is to position itself between the sheep farmers and the textile industry.
The auction room where most of the wool in the UK is traded. I visited the trading rooms and the depot in August 2021 as part of my research to fully understand the role of the wool board.
Wool is collected and then graded into fine weight, for the clothing industry, medium weight for carpets and heavy weights for insulation.The farmers are then paid the best price that can be achieved. The majority of British wool goes into carpets, due to the majority of sheep in Britain being bred for the meat market rather than for yarn.
Over the last few years much of the industry has changed, a growing use of synthetic fibres and a change in preference to other flooring options causing the wool price to drop. With further changes in the trade deals, due to brexit, and the possible influx of cheap lamb from Australia, many farmers now need to develop more diversity in their products.
