UK wool industry - statistics & facts
The United Kingdom has an intricately woven history with sheep. The wool from British sheep has been spun and utilized for clothing since the Bronze age and has been an export product for Britain for over one thousand years. Today, there are more than 60 breeds of sheep in Britain and wool has become an important resource for the UK. In 2023 alone, there were over 21.2 million sheep in the UK. The production of wool in the United Kingdom peaked in 2022, with a yield of around 72,000 tons of wool.
The export value of wool from the UK has decreased in recent years, but picked up slightly since 2021. Despite this decrease, the export value of wool yarns from the UK had managed to remain stable until 2020. In the same year, the import value of wool or fine animal hair to the UK generated about 3.6 million British pounds.
UK wool market
Wool is clearly a profitable business in the UK, as the manufacturers’ sales value of combed wool in the UK has steadily increased within the last ten years, until falling in 2020. Combed wool and fine hair reached an all time high in 2019, where it was valued at over 84 million British pounds. Since 2020, sales have picked up once again. In addition to this, the sales volume of combed wool has increased and decreased correspondingly.The export value of wool from the UK has decreased in recent years, but picked up slightly since 2021. Despite this decrease, the export value of wool yarns from the UK had managed to remain stable until 2020. In the same year, the import value of wool or fine animal hair to the UK generated about 3.6 million British pounds.
