How the Wool Scouring Process Works in the UK
When raw sheep wool is first shorn, it is far from ready to be used in textiles, insulation, bedding, yarns or manufacturing. Freshly shorn fleece contains grease, dirt, sweat salts, […]
Standard Wool
Setting the standard in the wool industry
Standard Wool
Setting the standard in the wool industry
Welcome to Standard Wool, a market-leading wool trader with a global network of farmers and traders.
Our role within the industry is to source wool from around the world, clean it using our scouring machines and distribute it directly to spinners, processors and manufacturers.
We follow this whole process whilst ensuring that all parties involved are getting a fair price and a reliable service.
Our wool is sold into the knitwear, cloth, bedding, carpets and insulation industries.
Our process
Our process starts by securing greasy wool from a number of trusted farms. This can be from an established partner in the peaks of Chile, the plains of New Zealand or a humble farm in the north of Yorkshire. The wool that we secure is straight from the sheep’s back and arrives to us as a raw material. So, to make the wool fit for purpose, we intensely clean it through our industrial scouring machines. You can discover more about our scouring process here.
Our expert traders then make specific wool blends ready for scouring. The blends that we create are based on your requirements. Over the last number of years, our clients have come to rely on our expertise to choose the right materials that meet their quality and price expectations. We can offer traceable wools from the UK to go into luxury carpets. Or snow-white wool from Patagonia that’s perfect for knitwear and a staple of European catwalks. Or we can produce a high performing natural fibre for the bedding and insulation market. With years of experience in the industry, we know how to create the product you need at the price you require.
Looking to buy wool?
We can supply you with greasy and scoured British, Irish, Chilean and New Zealand wool. We can also provide this in Scoured and Wool Top. We can provide Italian combed Open Tops, Scoured Australian wool, Argentinian and Uruguayan Scoured and Greasy wool.
Who else can we help?
Our scouring process leaves a variety of by-products behind, like wool grease and shoddy.
Besides buying, cleaning, and selling wool, we also enterprise in distributing these extracted by-products to the cosmetics industry. If these products are of interest to you, then click here.
As a champion of high environmental standards, we are constantly researching sustainable ways to reduce waste and create new streams of opportunity.
…and that’s not everything.
You can discover more about our individual services by browsing the rest of our website. If you still have questions, then get in touch through the contact us page.
Our Products and Services
Standard Wool specialise in 4 main areas.
Sell Your Wool
Are you a sheep farmer?
If you’re a farmer looking to sell, then find out more information about how you can partner with us by clicking here. We can promise you a fair market price and a superior service. You won’t just be a supplier; you’ll be our partner.
Standard Wool through the years
1700s
Jaoomb Hoare commenced trading
Buying wool from South America
Selling the wool in Bradford
1987
P T Hughes Snr joined
Owned by Standard Commercial
Large American Tobacco corporate
1989
SWUK acquired Chilean combing operation
1991
Invested in UK scouring
Opened by Princess Anne
2005
MBO of SWUK
Fire destroyed Chilean operation
2007
Chilean plant reopened
Opened by Princess Anne
2019
P S Hughes appointed MD
P T Hughes appointed Executive Chairman
2025
Investment in new effluent treatment & machinery
Our Locations
Standard Wool operates at key locations globally to source and process products from around the world.
STANDARD WOOL (UK)
Eastfield Mills, Goods Lane, Dewsbury, WF12 8EH, West Yorkshire, UK t: +44 (0)1274 756600 | f: +44 (0)1924 465279 e: woolinfo@standardwool.co.uk
STANDARD WOOL (Chile)
Km 13.5 Ruta 9 Norte, Casilla 407, Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile
t: +56 (61) 2 211163 | f: +56 (61) 211023
e: secretaria@standard-wool.cl
STANDARD WOOL (NZ)
5 Ross Street, Darfield 7510, Canterbury, New Zealand
t: +64 3 318 8200 | f: +64 3 318 8200
e: info@stdwoolnz.co.nz
STANDARD WOOL (CN)
Room 1315 Jianyu Building, No. 100 South Huju Road, Nanjing, China 210004
t: +86 25 5 8071182 | f: +86 25 58071183 e: stdwnj@139.com
Interested in wool? read our blogs
The Complete Guide to the Wool Scouring Process
Wool is one of the most versatile and sustainable natural fibres in the world, but before it can become yarn, insulation, clothing, upholstery, bedding or industrial textiles, it must first […]
How Long Does Professional Wool Scouring Take?
Wool scouring is a critical step in preparing raw fleece for manufacturing, removing grease, dirt, suint and other impurities to produce clean, usable fibre. For farmers, suppliers and manufacturers, one […]
How We Procure Wool Grease in the UK
Wool grease, often refined into lanolin, is one of the most valuable natural by-products of the British wool industry. At Standard Wool, our approach to sourcing wool grease is built […]