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The wool industry was once a huge economic force in the United States, from colonial times to the mid 1940’s.
In 2015, the United States sheep industry has declined to 5.28 million heads of sheep across the country from
56 million heads of sheep in 1942 (USDA 2016). The United States had 80,000 sheep operations nationwide
in 2012 (USDA/ASI 2013), producing over 27 million pounds of clean wool in 2015. (USDA 2015).
US Wool Production
Texas California Wyoming Colorado Utah
3,600,000
3,100,0002,800,000
2,400,0002,200,000
Top Wool Producing States in 2010
State
Pou
nds
Source: USDA/National Agriculture Statistics Data/ American Sheep Industry Association 2011
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 20150
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
US Wool Production, 2000-2015
Year
Mill
ion
Pou
nds
Source: USDA/ National Agriculture Statistics Service 2016
California is the second largest producer of wool in the United States. In 2013, California produced 3.141 million pounds of wool (FiberShed Wool Association 2013). Eighty
three percent of the wool is fine enough (< 25 microns) for apparel use.
California Wool Production
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
43.5 3.479
3.0823.29
2.7452.989 2.914 2.8035
2.62.898
California Wool Production in Pounds from 2005-2014
Year
Pou
nds
in M
illio
ns
Source: Economic Research Service/ USDA/ Keithly G. Jones 2004
Source: USDA/ National Agriculture Statistics Service 2016
The decline in US wool production and wool textiles has been attributed to factors
including (National Research Council 2008 pp. 1-4):
Strong Foreign Competition – Australia has been the dominant wool producer.
Australian wools are accounted for 51% wool apparel produced in the world
(Australian Wool Innovation Limited). With second ranked sheep population in the
world (9.5%), Australia also produced 27% of global greasy wool supply.
Increasingly important is China which holds 15% and largest of the world’s sheep
population. China is also the world’s largest importer of wool, valuing $1.3 billion in
2005. 1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
0
100,000,000
200,000,000
300,000,000
400,000,000
500,000,000
600,000,000
US Wool Textile Imports From 1989 - 2014
Years
Pou
nds
Impo
rted
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
0
50,000,000
100,000,000
150,000,000
200,000,000
250,000,000US Wool Textile Exports from 1989 - 2014
Years
Pou
nds
Exp
orte
d
Source: USDA/ National Agriculture Statistics Service 2016
Loss of National Subsidies and Payment Programs – In 1994, the United
States phased out its National Wool Act subsidy program. The Economic
Research Service estimates that $551 million in income for sheep producers was
effectively eliminated at the national level from 1994-1998 (Economic Research
Service 1999 Report 105-558 p. 6). The lack of incentive programs increased the
difficulty for United States producers to compete with large flock countries such
as Australia and China.
Change in the Income Distribution of Sheep Producers – For sheep
producers, wool has become less and less profitable as compared to income
from mutton and lamb meat. Wool contributed only about 10- 30% of total
income for large range production farms and less than 5% in small farm flock
production systems (National Research Council 2008 pp. 248). As the returns on
wool decrease, farmers begin to focus more and more on sheep meat.
Competition from Other Fibers – The increased demand for cotton and
manufactured fiber (especially the synthetics) products also accounts for wool’s
decline. In 2003 wool only accounted for 2.3% of total fiber use globally. The
change in consumer preference has driven wool trade down significantly
(Australian Wool Innovation 2005 p. 1).
This low demand combined with increased competition and loss of government
support are among reasons for a decreasing American wool industry.
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
0500,000,000
1,000,000,0001,500,000,0002,000,000,0002,500,000,0003,000,000,000
US Textile Exports By Fibers from 1989 - 2014
Cotton Linen WoolSilk Manmade
YearsPou
nds
Exp
orte
d
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
0
2,000,000,000
4,000,000,000
6,000,000,000
8,000,000,000
10,000,000,000
12,000,000,000
US Textile Imports by Fibers From 1989 - 2014
Cotton Linen Wool Manmade
Years
Pou
nds
Impo
rted
Wool Production TrendSource: National Agriculture Statistics Service/ California Agriculture Statistics Review 2015Source: FiberShed Wool Mapping Project 2013
Wool FiberWool is a keratin protein fiber in colors from white to brown. Wool fibers vary greatly in diameters and in lengths
from 4 – 100 cm long, depending on origins. Wool protein is composed of 18 different amino acids that combine
together in a helix formation. The name of the polymer for wool is Keratin.
Wool Production begins with the sheep. Different sheep produces different diameters and quality of wool. The most popular, the
Merino sheep, is known for producing very fine high quality wool that is well suited for making comfortable clothing and garments.
Breeds such as Suffolk and Hampshire are known for producing medium wool. At the other end of the spectrum are breeds such
as the Lincoln breed and the Border Leicester breed, whose coarser fleeces are better for carpeting. Specialty wool can be
derived from different breeds of animals. The popular cashmere is actually the fleece of the Cashmere Goat (Hatch 2006).
Sheep Breeds
Photo: Gordon Milligan/ Published: 06/06/2013 Photo: EAAP-Animal Genetic Bank
Photo: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images/ Published: 02/17/2016
Photo: Self-Sufficient Lving/ F. Ashan Published: 01/21/2014
Merino Sheep Lincoln Sheep
Suffolk Sheep Cashmere Goat
WOOL
• Count System – This system uses a unit of 560
yards called “Hanks”. Wool is graded based on
how many hanks of yarns can be spun from 1
pound of wool fibers. For example, a 60 count
system grade indicates that one pound of that
wool would spin 60 Hanks or 60 x 560 or 33,600
yards of yarns. This is known as the indirect
system in textiles, i.e., a larger grade indicates
finer (smaller diameter) fibers.
• Micron System – This is the most accurate
system, measuring the average fiber diameter
by micrometer. This system was developed in
the United States and is the standard for
measuring United States wool. The general
divide is fibers with diameters 25 microns and
lower are considered fine while fibers 33
microns and higher are considered coarse. For
apparel use, fibers under 25 microns are most
commonly used. Fibers 30 microns and higher
can be felt by the skin, causing irritation.
Source: American Wool Council – Wool Grades and the Sheep that Grow the Wool
Wool Quality
Source: American Wool Council – Wool Grades and the Sheep that Grow the Wool
The fineness of the wool fiber affects properties such as comfort and hand. Wool fineness can be measured by (ASI-American Wool
pp. 1-9):
• Blood System – This is the oldest measurement system based on the breed bloodline of the sheep that produces the wool.
Beginning with breeds such as Merino and Rambouillet, which produce finer wools, the sheep is categorized based on how
much the animal’s pedigree deviates from those breeds. From finest to coarsest, the 6 categories are: Full Blood, ½ Blood,
3/8, ¼, ¼ Low, and Common.
Texas Ari zona Cal i fornia Pennsylvania Iowa
8700
5000
4100
3800
3500
Top 5 States in Sheep Operations 2012
StateN
umbe
r of O
pera
tions
Source: USDA/National Agriculture Statistics Service/ American Sheep 2013
Gary Hua, BS in ARE, TXC Minor (2016)University of California, DavisSponsored by Prof. You-Lo Hsieh
Textile Export-Import Trend
The most distinguishing aspect of the wool fiber structure
is the presence of scales that make up the cuticle of the
fiber. Generally, the finer the fiber the more scales
present, ranging from 700 scales per inch to 2000 scales
per inch. The reason wool shrinks during wash is due to
these scales in a process called felting shrinkage. This is
when the individual fibers lock their scales onto each
other and curl up when agitated in water. An interesting
property of wool is its ability to resist flames. When
exposed to a flame, wool will smolder and give off smoke
before extinguishing itself. This is the result of its
chemistry and ability to hold moisture (Hatch 2006).
