Frequently asked questions...
Find the answers here or get in touch if you want to find out more.
About the brand
Why focus on Scottish and native breed wool?
We believe that Scotland has some of the best wool in the world and that it is only because of financial reasons that the wool is not used more.
In addition, a lot of knitters are not aware anymore of different breeds of sheep and their best uses. Some of our British sheep produce the most loveliest fleeces for knitting close-to-skin worn garments.
Where does the name “Wedale Wool” come from?
Wedale is part of the Galawater valley. The local church in Stow is still called 'St Mary of Wedale‘.
Wedale is probably derived from the old English words wēoh (or wīg) meaning 'shrine' and dæl meaning ‚valley‘. The shrine is most likely referring to 'Our Lady's Well‘ which is situated 1 mile (2 kilometres) south of the village of Stow and was rebuilt in 2000.
It is one of the oldest holy wells associated with the Virgin Mary in Scotland.
How do you choose which farms to work with?
I speak to the farmers and visit their farms. Good animal welfare is paramount to me and I need to see that the farmer cares for their animals.
Where are you based? Can people visit?
I’m based north of Stow. Unfortunately as it is my private home there are no possibilities to visit Wedale Wool.
The wool and process
Where does your wool come from?
Our wool comes exclusively from local Scottish farms.
What breeds of sheep do you use?
At the moment we use only Bluefaced Leicester. But we look forward to using other breeds of sheep in the future.
How is your wool processed and spun?
Our wool is firstly picked by us to take out all the plants and the most felted and dirty pieces of the fleece.
Then the fleeces are processed and spun at the local woollen Mill in Duns in the Scottish Borders.
Is your yarn 100% Scottish?
A big YES! We use only Scottish wool, locally grown in the Scottish Borders.
Do you dye your yarn or keep it in natural colours?
At the moment we only have natural colours in our shop. In future we would like to introduce dyed wool with natural plant colours.
How do you ensure animal welfare and sustainability?
The farms supplying us are not growing the wool for the wool. Their wool is the by product of growing sheep for the meat industry.
Therefore animal welfare is really important to us. We visit every farm before we buy and get to know the farmers and the setup for the sheep.
Why is buying British wool important?
British wool is a fabulous product. We’re surrounded by the most gorgeous fleeces but still import wool for knitting from other parts of the world.
If we use British Wool it is not only favourable to keep the economy local but also to keep the carbon footprint of the wool we use to knit low. Wedale wool is not flown half way around the world.
Products and availability
When will your first yarns be available to buy?
Our first yarns should hopefully be ready to buy in March 2026.
Where can I buy Wedale Wool yarn?
Wedale Wool can either be bought directly from our webpage or in person at the local wool shop, Untangled Yarns in Galashiels.
Hopefully in future we can add other retailers to sell our wool in other parts of Scotland. If you are interested in becoming a retailer please get in touch.
What yarn weights and textures will be available?
At the moment we do DK and 4-ply. We’re selling either 1kg cones, 100g skeins, 50g skeins or 25g skeins.
Please remember though, that it is a seasonal product and we might run out of certain weights and textures during the year.
Do you offer wholesale or stockist opportunities?
Yes. Please contact us if you would be interested in stocking Wedale Wool.
For makers and farmers
Can local farmers supply fleece to Wedale Wool?
Yes. We’re interested in local, single breed wool. Please get in touch if you'd like to have a chat about supplying wool.
Are you interested in collaborating with knitwear designers or makers?
Yes, please get in touch if you would be interested!
Will you offer limited edition yarns from specific farms or breeds?
As all our yarns are single breed and single sheering (e.g. 2025 Bluefaced Leicester from Stow) they’re all already a kind of limited edition.
We don’t mix farms/breeds/sheering from different years. If we run out during the year of a certain breed/sheering we just have to wait for the next year. All our yarns are a seasonal product.
If we notice a certain breed / yarn weight to sell better then others, we will try to buy more fleeces from the same farm the next year.
Sustainability and ethics
Why don’t Scottish sheep farmers get paid fairly for their wool?
As there are a lot of sheep in Scotland you would think it would be simple. But spinning it into knitting wool is expensive and only certain breed fleeces will feel nice on the skin.
There is an overproduction of corse wool from hardy sheep and a comparably small market for high quality knitting wool. This makes it difficult for big producers to justify the time and effort to separate the high quality single breed wool from other wool.
They do a fabulous job though in shifting and using British wool in many forms, from carpets to insulation. In addition some of the wool comes in natural colours which are undesirable for the big industries. For example, brown wool is not suitable to be dyed in a pale colour.
This is the wool which will be less desirable for the industry, and therefore gets a lower price.
How is Wedale Wool helping to change that?
We use the wool, whatever the colour. If our wool is more pale one year and more beige the next (there might be a brown lamb born into the flock that year) we accept that.
We aim to pay the farmers enough to at least pay the sheerer and possibly a bit more.
Is your packaging recyclable or plastic-free?
Yes. We aim to have everything in packaging that can be composted or recycled.
What makes your yarn more sustainable than imported options?
All our wool is processed locally. From farming, to spinning and selling, everything is aimed to be as short in mileage as possible.
All our packaging is made to be either recycled or composted.
Care and use
How should I care for my Wedale Wool yarn or finished garments?
Please hand-wash your garments. We will do tests with our yarns when they are spun (in our domestic washing machine), but until then we recommend to hand wash.
Can I hand-wash your wool?
Yes. Please use a suitable wool detergent (e.g. Eucalan) on a low temperature.
Is your wool suitable for sensitive skin?
We try to use the finest wool for our yarns. However, if your skin is very sensitive we would recommend that you order first a mini skein to make a swatch.
If you’re allergic to protein based fibres, like wool or alpaca then we would recommend to use plant based fibres, like bamboo or cotton.
Community and connection
How can I keep up with new releases or events?
We have a mailing list you can subscribe to and you can follow us on facebook and instagram.
Can I follow the story of the flocks or farms you work with?
Whenever possible, we will put stories on our social media and mailing list.
Our yarn
