Swedish Wool Standard – Sweden’s First Classification System for Wool
For the first time, there is a common Swedish classification system for wool: The Swedish Wool Standard. The Wool Standard serves as a common language among all players in the Swedish wool value chain – from sheep owners and shearers to wool brokers and buyers. The standard ensures the right quality of Swedish wool, from farm to sale.
How to use the Standard
The Swedish Wool Standard consists of proven work methods for sheep owners and shearers, as well as a classification system designed for the unique conditions of Swedish wool. This system facilitates the sale and purchase of this sustainable and local raw material, and it can be used by all actors working with Swedish wool on an industrial scale.
Wool Classes Based on Characteristics and Usage
Wool classing involves categorizing wool into uniform, predictable classes of wool, based on similar traits, rather than sheep breeds. These characteristics include length, fineness, color, character, and amount of vegetable matter. This allows wool from different farms and breeds, but with similar characteristics and uses, to be combined into larger quantities. The ambition is that more Swedish sheep owners will find markets for all their wool and increase their income.
International Best Practices – Adapted to Swedish Conditions
The Swedish Wool Standard has been developed and tested by wool specialists, wool brokers, shearers, farmers, as well as brands in the fashion, outdoor, and textile industries. While built on international best practices, the standard has been tailored to the unique conditions of the Swedish wool market. The Swedish Wool Standard is available in Swedish and English. It is managed and further developed by Arena Svensk Ull (Swedish Wool Arena).
The Swedish Wool Initiative
The Swedish Wool Standard has been developed by The Swedish Wool Initiative, a cross-industry collaboration aiming to contribute to the vision of zero percent waste of Swedish wool. Project partners include Axfoundation, Chalmers Industriteknik, Circularista, Filippa K, Fjällräven, Görvälnlammet, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Klippan Yllefabrik, LE Ullkonsult, LRF (Swedish Federation of Farmers), Norrby Farm, Smart Textiles/Science Park Borås, Swedish Sheep Shearers Association, Tiger of Sweden, TrusTrace, Ullcentrum, Ullkontoret, and Västkustens Ullinsamling/CC Wool.
