Falklands Wool
Farming in the Falkland Islands produces some of the world’s most naturally white, high yielding and low VM wool (majority under 1%)
Our Islands
- Sits at 52° South
- Two main Islands
- East and West Falkland
- 776 smaller islands
- 4700sq miles of land
- Over 80% farmland
Our Industry
- Nearly 500k sheep
- 1,642,000 kgs of wool
- 61% of clip from WoolCo Members
- Average fleece is 3.7kg
- Between 16.5 - 28 microns
- Average micron is 22.5
Quality practices
The Falkland Islands are de-facto organic. We do not practice sheep dipping or mulesing, (certificates available), and the majority of grazing is done on natural pastures. 90% of the sheep will not have come into contact with any chemicals other than drench and AI drugs. Almost all of our members are Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified.
All wools are fully classed on farm with a mix of shearers, wool handlers and classers, both local and from around the world, so preparation standards are high. WoolCo visits farms regularly to guide and give advice where farmers ask for it.
Workshops
Held annually and prior to the shearing season, our workshops guide and refresh members on wool preparation and the completion of correct paper work for traceability.
These are also an opportunity to make members aware of any changes or requests from industry and buyers. For example, WoolCo members were very quick to respond to the use of Nylon packs and additional testing.
Wool Warehouse
The Falkland Islands Wool Company manages the only on-island Wool Warehouse where it takes core and grab samples from all members and some non-members wool lots.
The Falkland Island Government’s Core Sampling Officer records data under IWTO standards. Samples are then sent to the New Zealand Wool Testing Authority Ltd.
Shipping
All wool is containerised and shipped via Montevideo, enabling sales to any destination in the world.
WoolCo make all shipping arrangements and provide supporting documentation on the wool producers’ and buyers’ behalf.