From jumpers to slug pellets – how British wool is back in demand

British Wool Prices Surge Past 70% as Supply Tightens

Ninoda.com – The cost of clean shorn wool has climbed by more than 70% over the past twelve months, pushing the fibre to a decade-high earlier this year. Two converging factors drove the spike: a shrinking domestic sheep population across Britain and the gradual depletion of a massive global stockpile that had accumulated during the pandemic-era lockdowns. At the most recent auction, a kilogram of processed wool fetched an average of £2.54 — up sharply from under £1.50 just a year prior.

The price jump follows a period of open frustration among producers, some of whom set fire to their fleeces in protest over what they considered inadequate returns. Yet the current market shift means farmers are far more likely to recoup the expense of professional shearing each season.

A Farmer’s Perspective on the Hills of Powys

Wyn Williams tends a flock of roughly 700 sheep on the slopes above Llanfair Caereinion in Powys. For him, the fibre is secondary — the animals are raised chiefly for meat and breeding — but the fleece still demands regular removal.

“Most importantly we have to shear from an animal welfare and health perspective. Who would want a big, strong winter coat still on with the excessive heat we’re having at the moment?”

Williams acknowledges that the improved price now helps offset operational outlays.

“We’ve got professional shearers coming, it’s not everybody who can shear. You’ve also got your helpers, the wool wrappers and everything else so it assists with the costs.”

Grading the Fleeces at Newtown

Williams’s fleeces travel to a local depot in Newtown, where manager Barry Bellis inspects each batch by hand. Bellis, who has worked through countless loads over his career, can identify some 68 distinct grades within a single consignment. The finest white fleeces are candidates for dyeing in any hue, while the blue-face Leicester fleece — the closest British equivalent to merino — is earmarked for fine knitwear such as men’s suiting.

“If you’ve got a nice white fleece, you’re able to dye it pink, green, blue, whatever colour you want.”

Lower-grade material, particularly fleece from Welsh mules containing kemp fibres, typically finds its way into carpet blends because of its inherent colouration. At the opposite end of the quality spectrum, certain offcuts are pressed into slug pellets — a reminder that the fibre’s utility stretches well beyond the wardrobe.

Supply, Demand, and Global Appetite

Gareth Jones of British Wool attributes the price rally to straightforward market mechanics. Flock numbers have fallen across Wales, the wider UK, and comparable export markets such as New Zealand. On top of that, the surplus wool stockpiled during the pandemic years has been worked down over the past two seasons.

“There are less sheep in Wales, less sheep in the UK, producing less wool and if we look at a comparable market like New Zealand, there are less sheep there. They also had a carry-over of wool since Covid – that’s cleared in the last two years.”

Even as supply contracts, international appetite for the fibre has grown. Jones points to China as a key buyer, a bedding manufacturer operating out of South Korea, and licensing arrangements in Japan. With fuel and fertiliser costs continuing to squeeze farm margins, the renewed revenue from wool offers a meaningful buffer for producers who might otherwise struggle to justify the expense of shearing.

The fibre itself is nothing new — evidence of wool spinning dates back to the Bronze Age — but its modern applications, from flood-barrier textiles to garden pest control, ensure that demand shows no sign of fading.