The global sheep industry continues to demonstrate gradual but consistent growth in flock size, while wool production, both greasy and clean, shows modest gains. These trends reflect a balance between rising demand for natural fibres and evolving agricultural and climate conditions.

Global sheep inventory & wool production trends

As with any other industry, the sheep wool market is based on supply and demand. Some of the top regional producers of clean and greasy wool show steady growth in their sheep populations and wool production. We’ve observed that the wool industry is stable when comparing year-over-year numbers.

The global sheep population increased by 8.65 million, raising the total to about 1.3 billion between 2021 and 2022.¹
1.266 billion sheep in 2021 were reported by the IWTO, a figure slightly above the 2020 level.²
About 2 billion kg made up the global greasy wool production in 2022, up 1.1% from the previous year.¹
1.05 billion kg was the clean wool yield in 2022, reflecting a 1.5% increase year-on-year.¹

Wool production vs sheep population (overview table)

Country	Wool production in tonnes (2022 → 2024)	Sheep population (2022 → 2024)
China	356,200 t → ~356,200 t (stable)	~193 million → ~194 million (↑0.5%)
Australia	348,600 t → ~279,400 t (↓20%)	~72.1 million → ~70 million (↓2.9%)
New Zealand	133,800 t → ~125,800 t (↓6%)	~26 million → ~24.4 million (↓6.2%)
Turkey	85,900 t → ~85,900 t (stable)	~28 million → ~28 million (stable)
United Kingdom	71,500 t → ~71,500 t (stable)	~33 million → ~32 million (↓3.0%)
Estonia	~100 t → ~100 t (stable)	~63,100 → ~80,000 (↑6.7%)

A rise in sheep numbers from 994 million in 1961 to 1.32 billion in 2022 shows long-term growth.³

Nearly 14% of the global flock resides in China, with Australia and India rounding out the top three countries.¹
Between 2019 and 2022, the Estonian regional flock decreased from 73,100 to 63,100 (↓13.7%), but grew past its 2019 size in 2024.¹⁵
Asia-Pacific dominated the wool market in 2024 with a 53% revenue share and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.3% through 2030.¹
In 2022, Australia produced 254,052 tonnes of clean wool, about 24% of the global total (~1 million tonnes).⁴
Australia’s greasy wool output rose by 1.3% in the 2022/23 season to around 328 million kg, compared to the previous year.⁵
The 324 million kg projection for Australian greasy wool production during 2023 was 1.1% lower compared to the 2022/23 season.⁵
Global production of about 1 million tonnes of clean wool in 2023 represented roughly 0.9% of the international fibre market.⁶

Now, while growth in the wool supply chain is normally quite modest, the industry itself is resilient. It demonstrates its ability to meet the demand for natural fibres, despite challenges such as climate change and competition from synthetic alternatives like polyester.

Learn more about our Know Your Wool (KYW) process for selecting local wool suppliers.

Regional breakdown of wool output

Wool production varies widely across regions, shaped by climate, sheep breeds, and industry infrastructure. The table below shows some of the top wool-producing regions and their share of the global clean wool market.¹¹

Region	Share of global clean wool market (2022)
Australia	24.2%
China	14%
New Zealand	9%
Turkey	4.1%
Sudan	2.7%
South Africa	2.5%
India	2.4%
Morocco	2.4%
Russia	2.3%
Iran	2.3%
Argentina	2.3%
Mongolia	2.1%
UK	2%
Kazakhstan	2%
Turkmenistan	1.9%
Uzbekistan	1.7%
Uruguay	1.7%
Others	20.5%

Let’s do a more comprehensive regional analysis of some of the biggest regional wool producers:

China produced approximately 356,000 tonnes of greasy wool in 2022, accounting for about 20.2% of global greasy output.²
In 2022, Australia led clean wool production, contributing around 25% of the global clean wool total (~1.05 million tonnes).²
New Zealand’s greasy wool output fell by 2.4% in 2021, but it remained the third-largest greasy wool producer.²
Australia’s greasy wool production in 2021 rose by 0.2%, recovering from a 6.6% drop in 2020.²
Australia’s clean-wool yield increased by 3% in 2021, linked to improved rainfall and quality.²
Global clean wool production increased by 1.5% in 2022 (+15,600 tonnes), largely due to an 11% bump in Australia.²
Turkey ranked fourth in wool production in 2023, with an estimated 43,000 tonnes of wool produced.²
South Africa generated about 42,000 tonnes of wool from ~24 million sheep.²
China, Australia, and New Zealand collectively produce over 50% of global wool output, both greasy and clean.²
Global greasy wool production in 2022 reached ~1.977 million tonnes, with China, Australia, and New Zealand contributing roughly 46% combined.²
Australia’s greasy wool forecast for 2022/23 was 328 million kg, a 1.3% increase from the previous season’s 324 million kg, while New South Wales alone contributed 119 million kg.¹⁰
Within Australia in 2022/23, Queensland’s greasy wool rose 27% to 11.3 million kg, while Victoria’s output fell by 5.3% to 70 million kg.¹⁰

Breaking down these statistics reveals that Australia dominates in clean wool production, while China leads in producing greasy wool. Together with New Zealand and Turkey, these countries are responsible for the majority of the global wool supply. Favourable La Niña conditions during 2021–2022 even saw a strong recovery in Australian wool production, while New Zealand and China both saw declines.

Smaller producers like South Africa and Turkey may not have as high a profile as the top nations, but they hold steady enough to earn their places in the global wool production supply.

Clean wool vs. greasy wool supply

Clean wool refers to fleece that has been scoured (washed) to remove grease and impurities. It has different characteristics from fine wool, which has thinner, softer fibres. Greasy wool, on the other hand, is the raw fleece directly shorn from sheep. Comparing their supply helps understand processing capacity, quality, and market readiness.

Global greasy wool production in 2022/23 rose by ~1.1%, while clean wool increased by ~1.5%, reflecting improved processing yields.¹³
Greasy wool totalled approximately 2 million tonnes in 2022, representing the raw clip before scouring.¹³
Clean wool production in 2021 was about 1,033.6 million kg, up 0.2% from 2020 after scouring removals.¹³
Australia’s clean wool output rose by 3% in 2021, outpacing its greasy wool growth (+0.2%), due to better yield (76% vs lower elsewhere).¹³
China’s greasy wool share (~40% yield) means that although it leads in raw clip, its clean yield lags compared to Australia (>70%).¹³
Since 2020, the clean wool supply has grown by ~5.6%, driven primarily by Australia’s post-drought recovery.²
Global clean wool production in 2023 stayed flat at ~1 million tonnes, indicating stabilisation after years of modest gains.⁶
Global greasy wool production in 2021 totalled around 1.95 million tonnes, down 0.6% year-on-year, while clean wool still rose 0.2%.²
A 3% rise in total world wool availability (production + opening stocks) during 2021 indicated growing supplies of raw and scoured wool.²
Stocks-to-use ratio at end of 2020/21 was ~14.6%, indicating available clean wool inventory beyond immediate production.²
In 2022, clean wool was forecast to grow 1.6%, outpacing greasy wool growth (~1.3%), thanks to better scouring infrastructure.²
Residues in greasy wool from Australia and New Zealand have declined, improving the relative quality of scoured wool exports from these regions.¹⁴
First-hand auction volumes in Australia remained steady (~298 million kg greasy wool) in 2023/24, while scoured wool yield adjustments slightly changed clean volumes.¹²
The Australian greasy wool forecast for 2023/24 was ~318 million kg, down 3.1% from the previous season, which directly reduced clean-wool supply.¹²

The greasy-to-clean wool ratio has seen some progressive improvements, with better processing yields from top producers, such as Australia, setting the new standard. The supply of raw fleece is steady, but the pace of clean wool availability is a sign of a shift in the industry. A higher-value, market-ready wool industry is on the horizon!

Year-by-year wool yield & price analysis

Tracking annual wool yields and prices reveals how market forces, environmental conditions, and demand cycles shape the industry. Below are key metrics for both production and pricing trends.

Yearly fine wool price trends 2020–2024

Below, we compare the US farmgate price with the global fine wool price. The farmgate price is essentially the wholesale price you can expect to pay if you buy directly from the farmer (no extra transportation costs or retail markup). We found that the market fine wool price was up to 70% more than what you would pay directly to the farmer.

Year	US farmgate wool price(US cents per kilogram)8	Global fine wool price(US cents per kilogram)	Percent difference
2020	365.97 c/kg	976.10 c/kg	62.51%
2021	376.99 c/kg	1,227.59 c/kg	69.29%
2022	337.31 c/kg	1,154.62 c/kg	70.78%
2023	343.92 c/kg	1,019.33 c/kg	66.26%
2024	315.26 c/kg	926.62 c/kg	65.96%

At Woola, we buy coarse wool directly from local sheep farmers. Not only does this ensure the farmers get fair compensation for their labour, but it also keeps the compounding costs in our supply chain relatively low.

Global fine wool price trends

Following a rapid decline in the fine wool price between 1990 and 1994, accompanied by seasonal fluctuations throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, the fine wool price fully recovered and increased exponentially from 2009 onwards. This trend may indicate a growing market, increased scarcity, or rising costs as inflation surges.

Image source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Considering that the sheep population and total wool production remained relatively stable between 2022 and 2024, we can infer that demand is increasing and the market is growing.

Global fine wool monthly prices

The table below shows a month-over-month increase in fine wool costs between December 2024 and April 2025. This may indicate market growth as wool demand increases.

Month	Fine wool price (US cents per kilogram)
April 2025	971.09 c/kg
March 2025	973.45 c/kg
February 2025	933.79 c/kg
January 2025	915.59 c/kg
December 2024	905.53 c/kg

Australia’s Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) fell in the 2022–23 season, with a seasonal average price of 1,295 c/kg clean wool (down by 6% year on year).⁹

In January 2023, Australia’s EMI peaked at 1,487 c/kg, dropping to 1,126 c/kg by June 2023’s final sale.⁹
Australian fine wool prices in mid-2023 showed variation by micron (µm) category:⁵

17 µm wool: ~1,667 c/kg
19 µm wool: ~1,541 c/kg
20 µm wool: ~1,463 c/kg

Medium‑micron (26–30 µm) and broad wool prices have been stable near six-year lows in 2022–23.⁹
Fine Merino wool prices declined in 2023 compared to 2022:⁹

17 µm wool: Down by approximately 13%
19 µm wool: Down by approximately 10%
21 µm wool: Down by approximately 6%

Global fine wool prices have historically ranged widely

Lowest recorded: 417.50 c/kg
Highest recorded: 1,865.40 c/kg
Median price: Approximately 778.50 c/kg

Australia’s greasy wool production shows slight year-on-year fluctuations:¹

2022/23: Approximately 328 million kg (up 1.3%)
2023/24: Approximately 324 million kg (down 1.1%)

While total yields and greasy and clean wool production saw impressive gains in the last three years, the same can’t be said for pricing. Micron quality, regional demand, and other economic factors have all added to some market unpredictability. For example, in the US, farmgate wool prices dropped by 16%, from a high of $1.71 in 2021 to $1.43 in 2024.

Meanwhile, Australia, one of the top wool producers in the world, saw a drop of 6% during the 2022–2023 season according to the EMI. Looking closer at wool types, medium and coarse wool dipped to multi-year lows, while fine Merino prices saw a major drop-off in pricing, too.

The future of wool: sustainable packaging

Our interest in understanding the global sheep wool market started with a dream to replace plastic packaging in ecommerce. We had been running an ecommerce business and were concerned about the negative impact of plastic shipping bags and bubble wrap. Wool is a naturally high-tech resource found all over the world, and yet about 200,000 tonnes of raw wool get burned or buried each year.

We found a way to change that by designing 100% wool packaging that’s shock-absorbent, water-resistant, and fire-retardant. It’s also home-compostable, reusable, and recyclable — with 0 plastic inside.

“I did my doctoral thesis in textile design, and one of the case studies was on wool packaging. Later, Anna-Liisa, Jevgeni, and I met, and that’s when we started Woola.”
— Katrin Kabun, Co-founder & Wool Expert at Woola

Want to see valorised waste wool in action? Get a free Woola sample or reach out to our sales team. See what makes our wool packaging special and an ideal material for a sustainable future.

50+ Sheep wool statistics: global production & natural fibre demand

Global sheep inventory & wool production trends