history of wool

With the domestication of cattle and sheep in Asia Minor thousands and thousands of years ago, wool came into human lives. The emergence of warm clothing through wool later spread among Romans, Persians and Greeks and finally reached western countries.  

Wise men debate over finding the use of wool in ancient times. But we think it was mankind’s first step to civilisation leaving primitive lifestyles behind. From supplying milk and meat for nourishment to bones for shelter – sheep were always there for our ancestors.

Gradually, people realised fleece was a significant part of sheep. Wild sheep had coarse hair that protected short fleece, and men found out the short fleece could be vital for textile purposes.

Later on, wool replaced flax fabric in Central Europe around 3000 BC. Thus began the saga! Evidence of a charred piece of wool was found in 2900 BC. The transition kicked off with the breeding of fine wool during the Roman Imperial period. Wool along with linen captured the clothing world.  

Wool left a greater impact as empires tended sheep and this marks the early stages of civilisation. Spanish Merino became a result of the Roman invasion of Spain where they mixed African and European breeds with their kind of sheep. Even in the 21st Century, Spanish Merino is considered the finest wool.

Needless to say, Spain grew powerful in terms of wealth, thanks to the discovery of Spanish Merino. People faced the death penalty if sheep left the country. However, Great Britain was not far behind in the wool industry.

History witnessed the craftsmanship of twisting wool, but things took a different turn in the 19th Century when Spinning Jenny and Power Loom popped up.  

Australia saw its first flock of sheep when British colonists brought one at the Cape of Good Hope. But the Australian wool industry started spinning when the Spanish Merino landed. Now, the wool industry is booming in Australia.

The world shelters more than 200 breeds of sheep with each having a different purpose to serve human civilisation. Some of the largest flocks reside in China, Australia, Iran and India. In the global agricultural economy, sheep now play a groundbreaking role.