There are three different standards of wool grading done. This leads to a great confusion about what kind of wool that is being described.
The blood system is based on the percentage of Merino in a sheep's ancestry. It includes six market grades. Originally these grade referred to the amount of Merino blood in the sheep. Currently, the names refer to the diameter of the fiber. With this standard, "fine" refers to the diameter of the fiber, not the quality of the wool.
The numerical count system divides the wool into 14 grades, designated by a number. This originated in the 18th century in England and is based on the number of 560-yard skeins that can be produced from one pound of clean wool top. With this system the larger number will be a finer wool. The problem is that there were too many variables involved and a pound of the fiber rarely produced the implied yarn.
Both systems are fairly subjective, which has led to a third system. It is called the micron system and is based on the micron count. A micron is 1/25,400 of an inch.
| Classes and Grades of Wool | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type of Wool | Old Blood Grade | Numerical Count Grade | Micron System | Combing Wool | French Combing Wool | Clothing Wool |
| Fine | Fine | Finer than 80s | Under 17.70 | -- | -- | -- |
| Fine | Fine | 80s | 17.70 - 19.14 | 2.75 | 1.25 - 2.75 | 1.25 |
| Fine | Fine | 70s | 19.15 - 20.59 | 2.75 | 1.25 - 2.75 | 1.25 |
| Fine | Fine | 64s | 20.60 - 22.04 | 2.75 | 1.25 - 2.75 | 1.25 - 1.50 |
| Medium | 1/2 blood | 62s | 22.05 - 23.49 | 3.0 | 1.5 - 3.0 | 1.5 |
| Medium | 1/2 blood | 60s | 23.50 - 24.94 | 3.0 | 1.5 - 3.0 | 1.5 |
| Medium | 3/8 blood | 58s | 24.95 - 26.39 | 3.25 | 2.0 - 3.25 | 2.0 |
| Medium | 3/8 blood | 56s | 26.40 - 27.84 | 3.25 | 2.0 - 3.25 | 2.0 |
| Medium | 1/4 blood | 54s | 27.85 - 29.29 | 3.5 | 2.5 - 3.5 | 2.5 |
| Medium | 1/4 blood | 50s | 29.30 - 30.99 | 3.5 | 2.5 - 3.5 | 2.5 |
| Coarse | Low 1/4 | 48s | 31.00 - 32.69 | 4.0 | -- | 4.0 |
| Coarse | Low 1/4 | 46s | 32.70 - 34.39 | 4.0 | -- | 4.0 |
| Coarse | Common | 44s | 34.00 - 36.19 | 5.0 | -- | 5.0 |
| Very Coarse | Braid | 40s | 36.20 - 38.09 | 5.0 | -- | 5.0 |
| Very Coarse | Braid | 36s | 38.10 - 40.20 | 5.0 | -- | -- |
| Very Coarse | Braid | Coarser than 36s | Over 40.20 | -- | -- | -- |
There are three different standards of mohair grading done.
| Classes and Grades of Mohair | ||
|---|---|---|
| Current Trade Terminology | Grade of Mohair | Micron System |
| No. 1 Kid | Finer than 40s | under 23.01 |
| No. 1 Kid | 40s | 23.01 - 25.00 |
| No. 1 Kid | 36s | 25.01 - 27.00 |
| No. 2 Kid | 32s | 27.01 - 29.00 |
| No. 2 Kid | 30s | 29.01 - 31.00 |
| No. 1 Grown & Yearling | 28s | 31.01 - 33.00 |
| No. 1 Grown & Yearling | 26s | 33.01 - 35.00 |
| No. 2 Grown | 24s | 35.01 - 37.00 |
| No. 2 Grown | 22s | 37.01 - 39.00 |
| No. 3 Grown | 20s | 39.01 - 41.00 |
| No. 3 Grown | 18s | 41.01 - 43.00 |
| No. 3 Grown | coarser than 18s | over 43.01 |
If you have comments, please send email to: Rosemary Brock.
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