The British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB) owned by the sheep farmers of the UK and sits between the wool producer and the textile industry has launched the new British Wool Premium Label Partnership with manufacturers that want to promote a higher content of British grown wool in their carpets, rugs and other products.

This allows quality manufacturers a chance to influence how much wool of genuine British origin is used in the blend of their ranges.

A new label - the Gold British Wool label and a pre-existing label - the Platinum label - are included in the new Premium Label Partnership.

The labels have been created to clearly define a higher level of British Wool content within product - 70% within the wool blend in the case of the Gold label and 100% in the case of Platinum.

The Premium Label Partnership defines the manufacturer of the product and their supply chain and ensures that the manufacturer is responsible for ensuring the content is sourced and verified according to the criteria that is set-out by the BWMB.

The BWMB audits the chain and the product is only awarded if the strict content value of the specific label meets the standards.

The BWMB provides wool for sale by auction across the year and promoting it through its Shepherd’s Crook licensed partnership programme.

Making decisions on the type of wool or wool blend used is a critical decision for spinners and manufacturers; it affects the texture, the product’s price and its ultimate performance.

British Wool grown on breeds in the UK is regarded as the strongest wool in the world. It is the main wool choice in carpet for contract and commercial ranges - such as those found in casinos and hotels. This is due to its natural bounce-back caused by its crimp and robust bulk which resists pressure.

The benefit from this is appearance retention and a resistance to flattening in carpets and maintaining good structure in products such as upholstery, bedding and mattresses.

Tim Booth, marketing manager of the BWMB said that they have had growing interest from textile manufacturers for a higher specification label that promotes quality fibre content - particularly in carpet and mattresses. These new labels and the Premium label partnership will encourage more to follow suit.