History of Wool and IWTO

International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) and its members are proud to be the modern champions of a fibre that has been essential to human beings for thousands of years. Our modern industry may be more technologically advanced, but the aims are the same: to use wool – a natural, sustainable and highly versatile fibre, to create items that keep us warm and adorn our bodies and homes.

This history, of which we are the modern custodians and propagators, stretches back some 8,000 years. Ancient people used and valued the fibre just as much as we do.

The Key Events in Wool History

Archaeological evidence shows that people have been using will since at least 7000 BCE, with textiles having been found at sites in Turkey, Mesopotamia, Greece, Egypt and even China. A body found in the Alps in 1991, believed to date back to around 3,300 BCE, was found wearing garments made from sheepskin and wool.

Wool was traded along the ancient Silk Route between Asia and Europe for hundreds of years. Sheep farming and wool production was a major economic activity that led to the establishment of numerous population centres and also led to the development of the global textile trade as a whole. In 19^th Century England, the Industrial Revolution, which gave rise to the modernised and mechanised world economy as we currently understand it, was built largely upon the strength of the sheep farming industry and the growing textile sector it gave rise to.

Today, the wool industry continues to thrive as a global economic sector and a staple of the international fashion industry. This snapshot provides an extremely general overview of the industry’s long history. You can read the latest edition of the IWTO’s Wool Notes to learn more details about our industry.

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The IWTO and the History of Wool

The IWTO was formed in 1930 as a global body to represent the world wool trade. The organisation exists to continue the proud tradition of wool production, with a special focus on growth, sustainability and ethical practices. Our membership consists of role-players in every stage of the wool value chain, from the world’s many sheep farms to catwalks and clothing stores around the globe.

The first IWTO conference was held in 1925, but the organisation’s statutes were only approved five years later in Bradford, England. Aside from holding two major industry events every year – the IWTO Congress and the Wool Round Table – the IWTO carries out a number of essential activities, including:

• Collecting, collating and publishing wool market intelligence
• Setting standards and regulations for wool production and trading
• Focusing on sustainability for the global wool industry
• Promoting the welfare of the world’s wool sheep

In short, it is the business of the IWTO to ensure that the history of the wool industry is always ongoing and will continue for a long way to come.

Learn More About Wool and Sustainability by Browsing IWTO’s Wool Industry Resources

For more information on the wool industry around the world, take a look at our fact sheets, statistics and guidelines, or visit our website.

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