The Falkland Islands enjoys a beautiful environment for rearing sheep for ‘snow-white’ wool production. The Falkland Islands consist of two main islands and over seven hundred smaller islands and islets in the South Atlantic Ocean, off the eastern coast of southern South America. With an extensive rangeland farming system, beaches and cliff-lined coasts, it is home to 80 sheep farms and abundant wildlife.

Sheep breeding programmes supported by the Falkland Islands Department of Agriculture have been injecting fresh merino bloodlines into the breeding flock. As a result Falkland wool is becoming finer, with a mean fibre diameter of 23.6 microns in the 2018/2019 season with a range of between 18 – 29 microns. ‘80% of the clip is between 21.0 – 26.5 microns’, says Robert Hall, Managing Director of Falkland Wool Growers Ltd. ‘Favourable climate and environmental conditions ensure high yields often in excess of 70% Schlum Dry basis, vegetable matter results usually under 0.5% with many clips in the 0.1% – 0.3% range and good length, making the wool ideal for scouring applications.’ World class standards of wool preparation and classing are undertaken in each farm’s purpose-built shearing shed.

‘Our demand for non-mulesed certificates issued by the Falkland Islands Government to buyers of Falkland wool has increased. A growing number of manufacturers require wool certification, including certificates of origin and non-mulesed status, which is a positive move’, says Robert Hall. ‘All our wool is non-mulesed and fully traceable to individual wool growers, farms and flocks.’

At Falkland Wool Growers Ltd we can provide fully traceable wool with beautiful fibre characteristics and associated marketing stories including people and pioneer families; heritage; sheep breeds; seabirds (albatrosses and penguins) and marine mammals (sea lions and elephant seals); landscapes; organic management and extensive sheep stations’, he says.

‘Luxury fashion houses searching for extensively produced, finer micron fibres should look to yarn manufacturers that use Falkland Wool in their product brand, as its characteristics are well suited to many apparel products. The fibre is very white, soft, dyes well and is also good for blending with other fibres’, comments Robert Hall.

‘We can assist with supply chain solutions, working with world class manufacturers and processors and your existing suppliers. Wool bales (nylon packs) are transported to Stanley (the capital) for shipping to the UK, Europe and other destinations around the world. Testing is carried out by NZWTA and WTAE (UK) with the test results being the basis of all sales’, he says. ‘Certified Organic supplies are available and all wool is prepared ready for best scouring, carding and combing – it is truly beautiful wool from a unique environment’.

Robert Hall can be contacted at roberthall@falklandwoolgrowers.co.uk