Sheep & Wool

Miscellaneous categories

A number of other minor categories are also used. The more common of these are:

Black fleeces

Naturally dark pigmented wool -- popular for home or craft spinning and knitting.

Brands

Wool that has been discoloured by identification markings. All marking products used in New Zealand are required by law to be scourable.

Double fleece

Wool that has grown for more than a year because a sheep may have been missed during shearing. Likely to have one or more breaks or tenderness along its length.

Stains

Usually short wools of poor colour from around the belly and hindquarters. Heavily stained with urine or dung.

Muddy

Wool heavily contaminated with mud (generally belly wool).

Dags

Wools heavily contaminated with dung.

Eyeclips and top-knots

Very short wools shorn from the head. Generally finer than the fleece and of good colour, but may contain kemps and seed. Often used for special effects in tweed and Shetland products and may be offered separately.