SHEAR GENIUS!

Wool has been part of the nation's fabric for centuries, keeping us warm and even making our commute more comfortable. As the body that represents 35,000 sheep farmers marks its 75th anniversary, we take a closer look at this unique industry

- By Aditi Rane

IF YOU'VE 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. Beneath those bright moquette patterns, the cushion beneath you isn't 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, marking its 75th anniversary this year, I visited its Bradford depot to discover how this unassuming 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 depot 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.