The headline made me do a double-take. The Sunday supplements were scattered across the kitchen table and there, above a few glossy photos of stylish jet-setters and film stars, was the sort of headline that would thrill any sheep farmer: “Why wool is cool”.
It’s not often that an important by-product of British agriculture is treated so glamorously. Apparently, the smartest dudes and the sleekest trendsetters are now turning heads by wearing wool suits. George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Daniel Craig and most famously King Charles are among the famous names who’ve been pictured in smart wool jackets and trousers.
I’m a big advocate for wool in fashion and British wool in particular. It’s an industry that suffered terribly from the rise of synthetic fibres and cheaper foreign imports in the post-war years, and it still needs as much publicity as it can get.
It’s been almost 15 years since we featured the story of native-breed wool on Countryfile, showing the journey from shearing and spinning to weaving and tailoring.
The cameras filmed me in the finished tweed suit, beautifully made by Norton & Sons of Savile Row, as I drove a mixed flock of British rare-breed sheep through the streets of my nearest town, Stow-on-the-Wold. It was such a memorable day that even now people stop me to talk about it when I’m shopping in Stow.
You might ask why we chose wool from British rare breeds? Well, first, because native, non-commercial livestock has been my lifelong passion. Secondly, because it’s an important part of giving British breeds of all types ‘a job to do’; creating a market for their products, whether that’s wool, meat, mutton or milk, helps ensure their survival.
It’s hard to think of any other material that’s 100% natural, renewable, sustainable and biodegradable, and wool’s secret weapon is its versatility.
What is wool used for?
We all know about hand-knitted hats and warm winter socks, but I’ve made it my mission to tell as many people as possible about innovative uses for wool. For instance, it makes sustainable and efficient wall insulation, keeping homes warm and firefighters happy because it’s a naturally fire-retardant material.
Recording studios are finding that wool is excellent for soundproofing because it absorbs and dampens noise. We’re also rediscovering what our grandparents always knew – that wool carpets are the best-looking and hardest-wearing floor covering available. That’s because the natural crimp in a sheep’s fleece gives an elasticity and robustness, which makes wool carpet fibres bounce back after they’ve been walked over.
Wool is also a material that’s worn by the guards outside Buckingham Palace, covers the snooker tables at the World Championships and provides the ‘fuzz’ on Wimbledon tennis balls, while the wool from my own Cotswold sheep goes to Yorkshire to make luxury beds.
Craft crocheters and needle-felters would be lost without it and there’s a growing trend for hand-knitted wool Remembrance Poppies too.
Wool is the perfect material for life’s journey; it’s used for baby blankets, christening shawls, wedding dresses and even eco-coffins.
Yes, there are companies in the UK that manufacture wool coffins, complete with a hand embroidered name plate. I’ve even seen one coffin firm offering a choice of wool from different breeds.
I can’t help thinking that would provide the perfect farewell for any self-respecting, wool-loving, rare-breeds shepherd.
Read more of Adam's columns
- “Could we soon be harvesting crops with a swarm of AI-enabled pilotless drones?” BBC Countryfile’s Adam Henson on farming’s technological revolution
- 160 woolly pigs were released on a Scottish farm – and they’re disrupting the landscape in a very significant way
- “Succession has always been a thorny issue.” How farming is changing – and why it’s good news
- It's big, docile – and known as the Cotswold Lion
Top image: a ball boy holds the official tennis balls on Centre Court during the 2025 Wimbledon Championships.
