One sheep produces any where from 2 to 30 lbs. of wool annually. The average fleece weight in the United States is 8.2 lbs. per sheep (per year). The amount and type of wool that a sheep produces is dependent upon its breed (and genetics) and shearing interval. The wool from one sheep is called a "fleece."  Lambs produce less wool than mature animals. Hair sheep shed their coats naturally and produce no usable wool fibers. The wool from hair x wool crosses is usually discarded.

How Much is Wool Worth?

The value of wool is based on its suitability for specific end uses. Raw wool is usually purchased on the basis of "grade." Grade denotes the fiber diameter and length of an individual fiber. The grade is reduced if the wool is dirty and contains a lot of "vegetable matter" or other contaminants. White wool is more valuable than colored wool because it can be dyed any color. Even the wool from sheep with white faces is more desirable than the wool from sheep with dark faces because the fleeces from non-white face sheep may contain dark fibers which cannot be dyed.

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The average price paid for wool in 2005 in the United States was 71 cents per pound for a total value of $26.3 million.

Nowadays, wool is packaged into large square bales which are easily transported by truck or rail.

Wool Bales at the
Maryland Wool Pool

Wool Worldwide  

Wool is a freely traded international commodity, subject to global supply and demand. Wool represents only 3% of world fiber production. Australia and New Zealand dominate the wool export market, while the U.S. accounts for less than 1 percent of the world's wool production and is a net importer of wool. The top states for wool production are Texas, Wyoming, and California.

Did you know that wool was the first commodity to be traded internationally and that England tried to discourage the colonies from developing a wool industry?

World Production of Wool (2004)   

Source: University of Texas (2004)

. . New Words . .

Felt  - a fabric made of matted fibers, generally wool or fur, bonded together through the action of heat, moisture, chemicals and pressure.

Fleece - the wool from one sheep.

Fiber - slender and greatly elongated solid substance derived from plants or animals.

Grade - a measure of quality.

Hand Spinner - someone who spins (who twists fibers into threads) by hand.

Yarn - Continuously twisted fibers or strands suitable for use in weaving into fabrics.

Pool - an organization of people or resources that can be shared.

Commodity - an article of commerce.

Export - commodities (goods or services) sold to a foreign country.

Vegetable matter - any material of plant origin found in the fleece, such as burrs, stickers, chaff and seed heads.