Suits, insulation, coffins... wool's secret weapon is its versatility

The headline made me do a double-take. The Sunday supplements were scattered across the kitchen table and there, above a few glossy photos of stylish jet-setters and film stars, was the sort of headline that would thrill any sheep farmer: "Why wool is cool".

- By Adam Henson

It's not often that an important byproduct of British agriculture is treated so glamorously. Apparently, the smartest dudes and the sleekest trendsetters are now turning heads by wearing wool suits. George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Daniel Craig and most famously King Charles are among the famous names who've been pictured in smart wool jackets and trousers.

I'm a big advocate for wool in fashion and British wool in particular. It's an industry that suffered terribly from the rise of synthetic fibres and cheaper foreign imports in the postwar years, and it still needs as much publicity as it can get. It's been almost 15 years since we featured the story of native-breed wool on