British Wool recently unveiled a brand-new showroom via hosting its first ever virtual press day.

The new showroom at their head office in Bradford features a number of British Wool licensees, including brands like Harris Tweed, Brockway Carpets, Camira, Yan Tan, Woolyknit, Devon Duvets and many more.

The press day invited journalists from national press and news outlets for a virtual tour of the state-of-the-art showroom including a brief explanation of the benefits of British wool as a natural fibre and how British wool can be used in our everyday life, from bedding to clothing and even as laundry dryer balls made by Little Beau Sheep.

Graham Clark, Director of Marketing at British Wool, said: “There is an emphasis on environmental sustainability in all products produced using British wool as it is a natural, biodegradable fibre and due to its durability, also having a longer lifespan than other textile fibre products.”

In the last 12 months, British Wool’s marketing and product development teams have seen an increase in enquiries by companies and community-led projects to incorporate and explore the potential of British wool.

This recent rise in demand for natural fibre, in part, can be attributed by consumers being more aware of the environmental impact of man-made fibres and materials.

British Wool hopes to utilise the new showroom to champion wool and the farmers who produce it. This will demonstrate the versatility of British wool in every area of textiles whilst creating a place that can show examples of existing brands and their products that are made by using this amazing fibre.

Hundreds flock to Depot Open Days

During May and June, British Wool opened its doors across all its grading depots in the UK.

This was an opportunity to welcome sheep farmer members and anyone with an interest in wool to find out more on the recovering wool market and the work being done to create and drive demand for British wool.

It also gave British Wool depot teams an opportunity to showcase the important work being done at depots in providing a quality service to all members regardless of the type and quality of wool produced, volume or location.

This included: The first stage of the process is on the farm with Shearing – As the approved training provider for shearing and wool handling courses in the UK, British Wool has a training programme in place to support the next generation of shearers and wool handlers in learning and developing a vital traditional rural skill.

Once the wool has been delivered into the depot, Grading is the next stage – every fleece is individually graded which determines the grade and quality. Grading every fleece adds value as this separates the better quality from the poorer with the better quality wool achieving a higher price which is then returned to members.

Testing – All British wool is independently tested for micron, colour and dry yield (the latter is the weight left after the wool is scoured & washed) before it can be sold at auction. Testing the wool to international standards gives the buyers confidence in the high quality of British wool and in the product they are buying.

Gareth Jones, Head of Member Communications at British Wool, said: “We thank everyone who took the time to visit one of our depot open days and hope they enjoyed the experience – over 650 attended, which was excellent.

“Raising awareness of the service, the work being done to increase demand and that of looking at potential new opportunities for British wool is important so, along with our members, we can continue to work together in maximising wool values and supporting the UK wool sector.”