British wool - did you know? 

Interesting facts about the history of British wool and British sheep breeds. 

• Fossilised remains suggest that sheep evolved between 10 and 20 million years ago in the mountains of Central Asia.
   
• Sheep were introduced to the UK in 4000 BC by Neolithic settlers.
   
• There are 15 million sheep in the UK.
   
• Each sheep fleece produces over 2kg of wool.
   
• There are over 60 pure breeds of sheep in the UK.
   
• Sheep are shorn every 9-12 months.
   
• British wool carpets are the number one choice in commercial settings (hotels, airports, cruise ships).
   
• Wool is totally renewable - as long as there is grass for sheep to eat, wool can be produced.
   
• There are over 40,000 wool producing farms in the UK.