Our wool products
The Norwegian Wool Standard provides the foundation for our base product assortment. Norilia also does special sorting in collaboration with and at the request of our customers. We have the possibility to offer tops in addition to scoured wool through our collaboration with our sister company Curtis Wool Direct Ltd.
Types of wool
Approximately 85% of our wool is of the cross-bred type, with a fiber diameter of 28 micron or more. In addition, we supply spæl-type wool. This type of wool has a double character, with fine and soft wool in the underlayer, and a courser top layer. Norwegian wool is well-known for its luster, crimp, durability, and shine. Norilia's wool is labeled with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and is therefore a good choice for those wanting to choose what is good for both health and the environment.
The Norwegian Wool Standard – our base assortment
Wool is classified in accordance with the Norwegian Wool Standard. This standard comprises sixteen quality classifications. The type of wool (breed) and the length of the wool (when has the sheep been shorn) form the basis for the classification.
The main quality categories are:
• Quality category A: White crossbred wool, full year growth
• Quality category B: White crossbred wool and wool from Norwegian spæl sheep, shorn in spring
• Quality category C: Crossbred wool, shorn in autumn
• Quality category F: Wool of Norwegian spæl sheep, shorn in autumn
You can read more about the Norwegian Wool Standard here
Special sorting on customer request
In addition to wool classified in accordance with the Norwegian Wool Standard, Norilia offers the possibility of special wool sorting in collaboration with, or at the request of, our customers. For example, we perform special sorting of cross-bred lamb wool in the slaughter season. We also do special sorting of lamb wool from wildtype sheep (old Norwegian or Viking breeds). There are also opportunities for special sorting of wool from spæl-sheep in collaboration with interested customers.
Combing and tops
We offer tops in addition to scoured wool through collaboration with our sister company in England, Curtis Wool Direct Ltd, and their daughter companies, Haworth Scouring Company Ltd (HSC), and Haworth Combing Company Ltd (HCC).
HSC has a weekly capacity to scour 1,000,000 kilos of wool and is registered with the Soil Association, has GOTS and OEKO Tex accreditation, and is accredited with ISO9001 and ISO14001 Certification. Norwegian wool from Norilia, scoured at HSC, also qualifies for the Nordic ecolabel, the Swanmark.
HCC benefits from efficiencies resulting from its location on the same site as the Haworth Scouring Company (HSC). HCC specializes in combing British, Norwegian, New Zealand, and Real Shetland tops as well as other specialty types. HCC has recently completed the installation of 14 new Schlumberger ERA combing machines. This investment will not only ensure the best quality, but also increase product range and services to customers.
HSC har en av markedets mest miljøvennlige vaskeprosesser og er akkreditert med GOTS og OEKO Tex. Norsk ull fra Norilia som er vasket på HSC, er også svanemerket. HSC er sertifisert i henhold til ISO 9001 og ISO14001.
HCC ligger vegg i vegg med HSC. Dette gjør det enkelt og effektivt å kombinere vasking med produksjon av tops. HCC har spesialisert seg på å produsere tops fra britisk ull, samt ull fra Norge, New Zealand og Shetland i tillegg til andre spesialiteter. HCC har nylig installert 14 nye Schlumberger ERA combing-maskiner. Investeringen sikrer ikke bare produksjon av meget god kvalitet, men øker også spekteret av produkter og tjenester som kan tilbys kunder.
Usages of Norwegian wool
Norwegian wool is suitable for combing, felting and yarns for knitting and weaving, where good resilience is required. Luxury yarns have been developed for the fashion industry, as well as the more traditional sectors, including upholstery, knitwear, handknit yarns, carpets, rugs, and throws. We also see new usages developing, such as insulation, sportswear, and shoes. The versatility of Norwegian wool is significant and increasingly renown worldwide.
