The Fine wool sheep based Merino lineage are all over the world, and the wool production accounts for about 1/3 of the world’s, including Australian Merino wool with an annual output of about 350000 tons, that’s equivalent to 40% of the world of fine wool yield. That is to say, Australia is the largest producing country of merino wool in the world.
According to the fineness of wool fiber, Australian Merino wool mainly can be divided into four kinds:
First, Superfine wool, Quality number more than 70, with the average diameter below 18 microns, the length of 5 cm to 9 cm;
Second, Fine wool, Quality number 70 to 66, with an average diameter of 18 to 20 microns, the length of 5 cm to 10 cm;
Third, Medium-sized wool, Quality number 66 to 64, with an average diameter of 20 to 22 microns, the length of 6 cm to 11 cm;
Fourth, Coarse wool, Quality number 64 to 60, with an average diameter of 23 to 25 microns, the length of 6 ~ 12 cm; All these four kinds merino wool material are suitable for medium and high-grade wool clothing.
In 1972, China introduced Australia Merino fine wool sheep. Then the effect is very good and that improves the length, natural color, and the percent yield of clean wool and the rate of fineness uniformity of Chinese merino wool.