We get many questions about the breed and one of the most common is - what if I am more interested in wool. Can I still use the wool for spinning and felting if the sheep are raised for other purposes too?
Yes, you can, and this is the reason why we are so strict on how we select our sheep.
Gotland sheep is a production breed first and foremost - and a good breeding programme should aim to preserve the original characteristics. Due to an extensive selection linked to a nation-wide quality assurance programme in Sweden, Gotland sheep have been developed to provide meat, wool and pelts.
We spend a lot of interest in the details - lambs are selected for breeding if they meet high standards linked to traits for meat / wool and pelt quality.
However, to produce the highest quality pelts you must spend a high attention to uniformity when it comes to the curl/lock form, color and fibertypes in each curl.
We strive for an uniformity that will give a soft, shiny and lustrous fleece in return.
So, if you want to give your wool buyers the best quality - you can use the same selection standard as all other Gotland breeders - you will get a uniform wool that will surprise many of your customers.
Lamb wool from Gotlands is extremeily soft and smooth, but can still be spun, in a mill with the right equipment for longwools or by hand. All Gotland wool felts well.
Wool from our older sheep contains fiber with higher micron count as well as a natural higher percentage of cross-fibers. This means all wool from adult Gotlands can be used for spinning, felting and consequently in yarns for weaving.
