The WOOL Book One | Page 24

1 . United States

Wool is grown in all 50 states on 81,000 sheep farms and ranches . West of the Mississippi River is where most of the larger sheep ranches reside . The eastern U . S . supports many smaller , pasture-based operations . American wool is versatile and is known for its “ loftiness .” In addition to its well-known uses in woven apparel , sweaters , hosiery and upholstery , American wool is also used to make insulation , hand-made rugs , tennis balls , bedding products and clean-up pads for oil spills .

2 . Norway

The unique sheep breeds of Norway have evolved over the centuries , adapting to the varying conditions in the Norwegian environment . Sorted into 16 different classifications , the wool is ideally suited for a multiplicity of different and important end uses . Luxury yarns have been developed for the fashion industry as well as the more traditional sectors .

3 . South America

The production of wool and other specialty fibres is concentrated in the southern zone — Argentina , Uruguay , Chile and Brazil . Argentina and Uruguay are the largest producers and the wool from different breeds ranges from the finer types of Merino sheep through to the Corriedale breed producing mid-micron wools . Merino wools are mainly used in the apparel sector , while mid-micron wools are used mainly for interiors and hand knitting yarns . South American wools are largely exported to many different countries across the world .

WOOL AROUND

4 . United Kingdom

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There are more breeds of sheep in the UK than anywhere in the world — more than 60 different types — and this diversity provides great choice from creams through browns , greys and blacks . The greater majority of British wool is strong wool which has exceptional durability and resilience and is used in the manufacture of carpets and rugs . It is also used in beds , bedding and upholstery cloth . A small proportion is finer wool and is used in knitting yarns and apparel .

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