The British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB) has launched a premium label partnership with manufacturers that want to promote a higher content of British grown wool in their carpets, rugs and other products. The partnership includes a new label, Gold British Wool label, and a pre-existing label, the Platinum label.

BWMB is owned by sheep farmers of the UK and sits between the wool producer and the textile industry. The labels have been created to clearly define a higher level of British wool content within the product – 70 per cent within the wool blend in the case of the gold label and 100 per cent in the case of platinum. This allows quality manufacturers a chance to influence how much wool of genuine British origin is used in the blend of their ranges.

British wool grown on breeds in the UK is regarded as the strongest wool in the world. It is the main wool choice in carpet for contract and commercial ranges - such as those found in casinos and hotels. This is due to its natural bounce-back caused by its crimp and robust bulk which resists pressure.

The benefit from this is appearance retention and a resistance to flattening in carpets and maintaining good structure in products such as upholstery, bedding and mattresses.