The history of wool is the history of humanity itself. One of the first animals domesticated, for thousands of years sheep provided the three basic necessities of life: food, clothing, and shelter. It is because of its unique properties that wool is still one of the best-suited and most-loved textile fibers on the planet.

In a nutshell:

• Wool doesn’t wrinkle easily
• It resists soiling because of its fibers’ complexity
• Wool is durable. It is 7 times more durable than cotton and 10 times more durable than silk.
• It repels moisture.
• Wool will keep you warm even when it’s wet.
• Wool is well-suited for both warm and cool climates. It helps regulate body temperature.
• Wool is naturally flame-resistant. It’s fibers contain moisture and so resists flaming without chemical treatment.
• Wool is sustainable.
• Wool is biodegradable.

Australia is the world’s leading producer of wool, with an annual output of 812 million pounds. The USA, by comparison, produces only 26.7 million pounds (which is still quite a lot of wool).

The top five wool-producing states are (ranked by their production of clean pounds of wool):

1. Texas (3.6 million lbs)
2. California (3.1 million lbs)
3. Wyoming (2.6 million lbs)
4. Colorado (2.4 million lbs)
5. Utah (2.2 million lbs)

Texas boasts the most sheep and lambs of any state in the US with 735,000 head. California is not too far behind with 575,000, followed by Colorado, which has 435,000 sheep, and Wyoming which has 355,000 sheep, all rounded out by Utah, which trails behind with only 285,000 head of sheep and lambs in the state.

And just in case you were wondering, even though there are more sheep in Texas than any other state in the union, Wyoming boasts the most sheep per capita, with about 61 sheep for every 100 people (in Texas, on the other hand, there are less than 3 sheep for every 100 people).

For every one hundred people in California, there is 1 sheep

For every one hundred people in Colorado, there are 8 sheep

For every one hundred sheep in Wyoming, there are 61 sheep

And for every one hundred people in Utah, there are about 10 sheep.

There are many different types of wool, including:

• Sheep’s wool: Traditional wool from sheep’s fleece
• Merino wool: From the Merino Sheep. Resists pilling
• Mohair wool: From the Mohair Goat. Can be itchy
• Angora wool: Made from Angora Rabbit hair. Fluffy and soft
• Cashmere wool: Comes from specific areas of the fleece of the cashmere goat
• Alpaca wool: From the hair of Peruvian Alpacas

(Wool types source)

Whether it’s for a blanket or a jacket; socks or a hat, wool is a wonderful choice. We hope you’ve enjoyed these facts and tidbits about the amazing natural fiber that is wool!