GRADING
Wool Types
The British Wool grading system categorises wool based upon both its style and characteristics. In doing so we seek to maximise the value for our members by increasing the value of your wool to manufacturers.
The style of wool is determined by its staple length, crimp, fineness, handle, and lustre.
There are six main styles of British wool:
Wool Type |
Grade Numbers |
Relevant Breeds |
|---|---|---|
| Fine | 203 to 291 | Wool from such breeds as: Charollais, Clun Forest, Dorset, Hampshire, Shropshire, Southdown, Suffolk, and their crosses. |
| Medium | 305 to 399 | Wool from such breeds as: Beltex, Bleu du Maine, Border Leicester, Halfbred Scotch/Welsh, Lleyn, Romney, Texel, and their crosses. |
| Cross | 403 to 491 | Wool from such breeds as: Masham, Mule, Scottish Greyface and their crosses. |
| Lustre | 503 to 592 | Wool from such breeds as: Bluefaced Leicester, Devon & Cornwall Longwool, Whiteface/Greyface Dartmoor, Lincoln/Leicester Longwool, Teeswater, Wensleydale, and their crosses. |
| MIll | 600 to 699 | Wool from such breeds as: Cheviot, Exmoor Horn, Hill Radnor, Lonk, Shetland, Beulah/Welsh Hill Speckled Face, and their crosses. |
| Mountain | 707 to 791 | Wool from such breeds as: Blackface, Dalesbred, Rough Fell, Swaledale, Welsh Mountain and their crosses. |
We supply almost 120 grades of fleece wool. Each of these are identified with a grade number and brief description.
Plus, more than 20 grades of lamb’s wool, organic and traceable wool grades.
Speciality Breeds
We also grade a number of speciality wools which have distinctive characteristics and are usually specific to a particular breed. These include;
- Dorset
- Jacob
- Masham
- Teeswater / Wensleydale
- Lincoln
- Shetland
- Exmoor Horn
- Hebridean
- Herdwick
Grading Characteristics
Within each style of wool, fleeces are graded by quality with judgements made across a range of characteristics.
These characteristics include:
| Hog | First Shear up to 15 months growth |
| Ewe | Second or subsequent shear up to 12 months growth |
| No. 1 | Good uniformity of style, length, colour with a sound staple |
| No. 2 | Average uniformity of style, length, and some slight discolouration and/or staple weakness |
| Discoloured | Natural discolouration, yellowness in colour |
| Soft Cotts | Slightly matted fibres |
| Cotts | Matted fibres |
| Grey | Grey fibre content more than expected within the fleece |
| Kemp | Kempy fibre content more than expected within the fleece |
Lambs wool is graded as it is received and paid for on the same basis as fleece wool.
This allows us to spread the sale of Lamb’s wool through the year and ensures that producers receive fair value.
Second Shear Wool
We supply the wool market with 3 grades of second shear (Medium, Romney, and Mule).
In order to be classed as second shear the wool must have sufficient staple length; wool that is shorn too short has extremely limited commercial value. In order to be graded as “Second Shear” rather than “Locks” the wool should have at least four month’s growth.
As a minimum the staple length should be between 7.5cm (3 inches) to 10cm (4 inches).
Any wool shorter than this is liable to be graded as locks and producers will be paid accordingly.
Please write ‘Lamb’s Wool’ or ‘Second Shear’ on your wool sheet labels to help depots identify on delivery
A premium payment is paid on most grades of organic wool. These premiums range from 20p to 50p per kilo (based on 2023/24 season wool clip).
Please remember to pack your organic wool in a green wool bag or sheet, then it can be clearly distinguished. If you need extra organic wool sheets, please contact your local grading depot.
Organic Certification
A valid approved UK Organic Control Body Certification must accompany all organic wool.
The certificate must be valid on the date of the receipt of wool into the British Wool network and must be registered to the farm in which the sheep were kept.
If you have any questions, please contact our Member Services team on 01274 688666 or email [email protected]
List of Approved UK Organic Control Bodies
- Organic Farmers & Growers CIC (GB-ORG-02)
- Organic Food Federation (GB-ORG-04)
- Soil Association Certification Ltd (GB-ORG-05)
- Biodynamic Association Certification (GB-ORG-06)
- Irish Organic Association (GB-ORG-07)
- Organic Trust Limited (GB-ORG-09)
- Quality Welsh Food Certification Ltd (GB-ORG-13)
- OF&G (Scotland) Ltd (GB-ORG-17)
All of the wool we sell at auction can be sold as traceable as every bale has a unique QR code that helps identify which farmers wool is within that specific bale. However this information is only provided to brands if they pay a fixed price premium over and above the auction price. This premium is returned to our farmer members at the end of the season. For more information on the traceable wool process please click here.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Please contact us.