- Shearing: Shearing is usually done by specially trained shearers. The sheep are placed on their backs and shearing starts at the bottom of the legs and belly area before moving up and to the side. Shearing is done in one piece to preserve the wool fibres as undamaged as possible.
- Sorting: After shearing, the wool fibres are sorted. This means that the fibres are sorted by colour, length, thickness and texture to ensure that only high quality fibres go into production.
- Washing: After sorting, the wool is washed to remove dirt, dust and other impurities. This is usually done in large washing machines with warm water and special detergents to ensure that the wool remains clean and supple.
- Combing: After washing, the wool is combed to bring the fibres into a uniform direction and remove knots and tangles. This improves the quality and appearance of the wool and makes it easier to spin and weave.
- Spinning: The combed wool is then spun into yarn on spinning wheels. This can be done either by hand or by machine, with the finished yarn varying in thickness and strength depending on its intended use.
- Processing: The finished yarn can then be further processed into various products such as blankets, clothing, carpets or slippers.
Overall, the production of sheep's wool is a time-consuming process, but one that helps to produce high-quality and sustainable natural products.
The sheep's wool for our cosy slippers comes from the EU.
