Fleece Presentation is Key in Maximising Value and Ensuring a High Standard of Product for Processing

Excellent fleece presentation is key to maximising the value of wool to our members. This starts with shearing; it’s important that wool is shorn to a high standard, for when the wool is ready to be sold.

Once the wool has been shorn, we have some useful tips on fleece presentation:

1. Include dry belly wool with the fleece before folding the flanks towards the centre.
2. Turn in the britch end and roll the fleece firmly and neatly towards the neck.
3. After rolling part of the fleece, and without twisting, tuck the neck wool firmly into the body of the fleece.
4. The finished fleece is firm and secure and ready to be placed in the wool sheet.

Some other tips when packing the wool:

1. Don’t mix hill wool with lowland wool. Kemp from hill wools can cause cross-fibre contamination.
2. Don’t mix coloured wool and white wool. This can also cause cross-contamination.

Ensuring the wool is of a high standard of presentation is also key for our buyers and those processing the wool. Richard Alderson, Head of Wool Sales, explains more:

“Whilst instances of polypropylene contamination in the wool we receive from our members are relatively low compared to wools from other origins, we have recently seen an increase in complaints from some of our auction buyers. Polypropylene contamination causes huge issues throughout the textile production chain, as it spins and dyes differently from wool and can lead to large financial claims.”

Richard adds:

“Please ensure that during the shearing and rolling process that the area used is clean and free from any contaminants and that the bags used to pack the wool are supplied by British Wool and in good condition. If you believe any of the bags supplied are in a poor condition and may lead to contaminating the wool, please do not use them and contact your local depot/collection centre for replacements.”

Free Wool Process Tours at Ulster Wool

Are you interested in learning what happens to your wool after delivery? Would you like to gain a deeper understanding of the journey your wool takes; from the moment it arrives at our depot to its final transformation for market?

Visit Ulster Wool’s Muckamore depot for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour. This experience allows you to follow your wool’s journey as it is received, sorted, graded, and carefully prepared for auction. Our staff will walk you through every step, answering questions and sharing insights along the way.

Join us to learn about our organisation and how we create sustainable demand for wool to maximise member returns. The tour will outline each stage of the process, from receiving and cleaning to sorting, grading, and auction preparation. You will also discover the next steps for Ulster wool, its uses, and our initiatives to promote wool to consumers.

The tours will run from 10:30 to 13:00 on the following dates:

18th November 2025

Reserve your space, click here.

Ulster Wool’s Partner British Wool’s Licensing Scheme Continues to Expand

Ulster Wool’s partner British Wool’s licensing scheme continues to expand helping to drive new demand for members wool. Meet some of the new brands on board….

Wool Pots

Championing the reduction of single use plastic in horticulture, Wool Pots was born in 2020 and won The Wool Innovation Award in 2022 and is going from strength to strength. The knitted pots allow more oxygen to the roots which promotes stronger root growth and plant health. The wool also insulated against heat, cold and retains water better, using 20-30% less water. With over 500 million plastic pots being sent to landfill in the UK every year and a black plastic pot taking 450 years to breakdown into microplastics- it is wonderful to see wool help to combat this problem.

Marling & Evans

One of Huddersfield’s oldest active weaving mills. Born in 1782 as an artisan laboratory, today it produces fabrics using only naturally dyed and finished wool, without chemical additives. The range of products is wide, made up of various elements including Covert Twill, used in the past for the Upholstery of Rolls Royce.

Carnwear

Founded by knitwear designer/maker Jessye Boulton in 2021 who trained in fashion knitwear and knitted textile design at Winchester School of Art. Jessye take inspiration from the dramatic, rugged coastlines and raw, untouched moorlands of the surrounding landscapes of West Cornwall.

Lawrence & Barnes

A contemporary British brand with a commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.

Their first collection includes their beautiful Richmond woollen throws and cushions as well as their Serenity bedding range.

Linwood

Linwood is championing Romney sheep in their latest wool collection. The wool has been finished to give it a luxuriously soft texture, making it the perfect choice for upholstery as well as curtains. Wool makes for a durable, eco-friendly, stain- and fire-resistant by design, and it has been piece-dyed to provide an alluring array of colour. We look forward to seeing it pop up in interiors across the UK in the coming years.

London City Farm Yarn

A collaboration between London City Farms and Ossian Knitwear. This pilot project united 10 London Farms, combining their wool for commercial processing. The finished yarn and products are offered back to the farms at cost, generating vital funds to support their running costs.

Lanifico Luigi Zanieri (Italy)

Founded in 1952 and dedicated to producing premium-quality apparel fabrics 4. With a fully integrated, in-house production process—including dyeing, spinning, and weaving, ensuring the highest standards of quality and reliability.