The Woolmark Company is the global authority on Merino wool. We are a subsidiary of Australian Wool Innovation Limited, a not-for-profit company owned by 27,000 Australian woolgrowers.
We undertake marketing campaigns and R&D within the global textile and fashion industries to drive demand and ensure consumers have a range of quality Australian Merino apparel to buy, enjoy and treasure.
We also collaborate with Australian farmers to help them grow and harvest Merino wool to the very highest standards, thereby maintaining the exceptional quality of Australian Merino fiber.
200 years of fine wool production
The history of Australian Merino wool mirrors that of Australia itself, playing a major role in the development of both the country and its character.
The first Merinos were introduced from South Africa in 1797. Originally from Spain, these sheep had already evolved a fine fiber, but further selective breeding soon produced the authentic Australian Merino with its even finer wool.
Their long, fine fibers were ideal to meet the demands of new industrialized spinning and weaving machines, enabling the production of lighter, softer wool fabrics. So by 1870 Australia led the world in both the quantity and quality of its wool production, as it does to this day.
A fine tradition inherited
Australian farmers have made great advancements in Merino production over the past two hundred years, and today they are justifiably proud of the tradition of excellence they have inherited.
Many rural and regional communities are supported by this most Australian of industries with over 50,000 Australian farmers and many tens of thousands more working in the industry. Most farms are family owned and operated, with unique skills and a great sense of pride passing from generation to generation.
The Woolmark logo
The Woolmark Company and our affiliates own the Woolmark logo, one of the world's best known and most respected brands. Over 5 billion products have carried the prestigious logo since its creation in 1964.
The Woolmark logo displayed on a garment provides consumers with an assurance of quality. To feature it, the garment must contain 100% pure new wool and meet strict quality and fabric performance criteria.
