From clothing to dog beds all made from British wool

The beautifully-crafted Aran garment is one of many on sale through British Wool, which has its headquarters in Bradford.

Jumpers, cardigans, ponchos and shawls are among the items sold at the company’s online shop. Scarves that will keep you warm in winter, beanie hats and multi-coloured socks made from the wool of the Bluefaced Leicester.

The clothes and accessories are stylish, cosy and practical - and they’re all made from British wool.

There’s even a range of wool-lined boots to keep out the winter chills. And if you want to keep your pet snug and warm the shop sells British wool dog bedding. Not many people are aware that wool helps to regulate temperature - in animals and humans - in both warm and cool weather.

Formerly the British Wool Marketing Board, British Wool is owned by around 35,000 sheep farmers in the UK. Since 1950 its purpose has been to champion wool and the farmers who produce it, while promoting every aspect of production and use.

“We collect, grade, market and sell British wool on behalf of our members to the international wool textile industry for use in flooring, furnishings and apparel,” says director of marketing Graham Clark.

“British Wool sells wool on behalf of its members to global markets through auction, to processors, manufacturers, retailers and ultimately consumers. Payments to sheep farmers are made at the end of the year after British Wool has sold the wool on behalf of its members. Payments reflect both the weight and quality of wool delivered and are based on the average price achieved for each wool type throughout the season.”

The headquarters, situated in Wool House, off Canal Road, contains a showroom displaying collections which use British Wool from Harris Tweed and Fred Perry to Woolroom and Camira Fabrics. The showroom is exclusive to farmer members and licensees to hold events and meetings.

British Wool operates a licensee scheme, aimed at brands who are using high levels of British wool in the products they produce. The scheme tracks the product through the supply chain to guarantee authenticity; it is only then that brands can use the internationally recognised crook mark on their products.

The British Wool shop was launched in summer 2021 and as well as clothing offers a whole host of products from its licensee partners such as bedding, apparel, knitting yarn and rugs. There’s even a British Wool tea cosy.

“At the moment we have 20 brands on the site and have plans to expand,” says Graham. “It is still relatively early days but we are delighted by the initial demand and our long-term aim is for the site to become the number one destination for authentic British wool rich products.

“We are seeing more consumers interested in wool in the sleep environment, this is due to the amazing natural properties wool has such as being able to regulate your body temperature, a truly wonder fibre in this application.

“We work with leading brands such as Harrison Spinks, Woolroom and Devon Duvets. Another strong trend has been wool knitwear, and we are working with more brands than ever before in this area such as Fred Perry, Peregrine, Yan Tan and Richmond Knitwear. As we move forward we anticipate these trends to continue especially as consumers are increasingly looking for more sustainable and environmentally friendly products than synthetics.”

Yorkshire is the “logical location” for British Wool’s base, says Graham.

“Bradford has been at the heart of the wool industry in the UK for many generations. A high proportion of the wool processors (scourers and spinners) are based in Yorkshire. We do however have another seven grading depots spread across the UK as well as 100 drop off points where our members can drop their wool off.”

There are more than 60 different breeds of sheep in Britain - more than in any country in the world and each one provides wool suitable for either flooring, furnishings or clothing. British Wool grades every fleece it handles – around 11 million every year. This process enables them to categorise the wool which in turn dictates the best end application. For example, hill and mountain wool is great for carpets as it is strong hearty wool which helps the carpet bounce back into shape and also maintain its original appearance for longer.

“Fine and medium wool is great for bedding as it is springier, in fact the springiest wool in the world, this means that duvets and pillows will not lose their shape,” says Graham. “When manufacturers and brands are specifying wool it is crucial to use the right wool for the right application and our grading process helps them with this process.”

Enquiries come from across the globe. “British wool is used around the world and is a globally recognised brand,” says Graham. “Questions we are regularly asked are around what products our wool can be used in; people are genuinely taken back by the diversity of the UK wool clip and all the products British wool ends up in. This is something we have been working very hard on for the past few years, educating the supply chain.”

British Wool’s shop can be found at britishwool.org.uk/shop