Why wool is mammoth

If you have ever collapsed on to a London Underground seat after a long day, you've probably done so without realising you're sitting on one of Britain's quiet success stories.

- BY ADITI RANE

Beneath those bright moquette patterns, the cushion beneath is not foam or plastic, it's wool.

And not just any wool, but homegrown, hand-graded, proudly British wool.

It's one of those small details that says so much about who we are, that the same fleece which keeps sheep warm on Yorkshire hillsides ends up cushioning commuters hurtling through tunnels under London.

With British Wool, the farmer-run marketing board, reaching its 75th anniversary this year, I visited its Bradford depot to discover how this natural fibre weaves together centuries of skill, sustainability and national pride. Bradford, once the global capital of the trade, has been synonymous with wool for generations. British Wool's depot here doesn't shout for attention but, as I step inside, the scent of lanolin and the hum of machinery instantly conjure up the industry's rich heritage.

I'm greeted by Graham Clark, director of marketing, who smiles as he hands me a hi-vis vest. "People don't realise it, but our wool goes into everything: carpets, mattresses, insulation, furnishings, even fashion. It's all graded and handled right here."

British Wool, founded in 1950, represents around 35,000 sheep farmers across the UK, from the windswept coasts of Wales to the high glens of Scotland. Farmers deliver their fleeces to one of the board's collection points, where each is weighed, sorted and sent to regional grading centres such as Bradford.

"It's the cooperative system that makes British Wool unique," explains Graham. "We act as a collection and marketing body for our members.

"Many other countries don't have that structure, farmers there have to sell individually.

"Here, every fleece gets pooled and sold together through our auctions. That gives us scale, traceability and fairness." The result is more stability and better prices for farmers, and a guarantee that every part of the fleece is put to good use.