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Kathmandu,Sunday January 02, 2000 Paush 18th, 2056.
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The stuff of legends
British wool
-By Ronald Nash
As a child I was amused by the following advert on the London Underground:
“Yon canny Highland crofters keep
A flock of crease resistant sheep,
And weave wee woollen shirts and slacks,
And flog them to the Sassenachs.
Wool is warm and bound to please,
You’ve not seen sheep with baggy knees;
Wee bairns learn first things in school,
There’s still no substitute for wool.”
It made me laugh, and although my mother is a Scot I was brought up in
England so I was one of those dreadful Sassenachs that needed dressing up... The
advert was of course about British wool, much of it grown in the rain soaked Scotland of
porridge oats, potato scones, dumplings and blended malts; a country of haunting beauty.
Now the wheel has turned full circle, and one 6 January at the Yak and Yeti,
right in the heart of Kathmandu, the British Embassy and the Nepal Britain Chamber
of Commerce and Industry will be holding an afternoon seminar for the Nepalese
carpet industry, to display the qualities and merits of that same British wool. The
Promotion will be opened by Commerce Minister Ram Krishna Tamrakar at 1.30 pm. It is part
of a two-way arrangement. In a few weeks time we shall be sponsoring a mission of
Nepalese carpet and rug makers to the UK, where many of the businesses responsible
for exporting wool are also linked to the chains which could increase imports
of Nepalese carpets.
The UK is the largest wool producer in Europe, with an annual fleece wool
clip of nearly 50 million kilos or roughly 3 percent of the world’s entire
production. This includes many types and qualities from more than 60 pure breeds as well
as numerous cross and half breeds. Much of our sheep rearing takes place in the Celtic
fringes of Scotland and Wales, but not only ... Our major markets are in Japan, China and
Western Europe, and exports to Nepal are growing fast, if from a small base.
Wool is the most useful and versatile fibre known to man. It has inherent
properties of insulation against heat and cold and clothes made from it can take up
enormous amounts of moisture without even feeling wet. Wool tailors beautifully, it is
heard wearing and durable, and easily throws off stains and dirt.
British wool varies from the very coarse, almost like hair, used for carpets,
interlinings and mattresses, to the soft handling Shetland type used in high quality
knitwear. But the bulk of Britain’s wool lies somewhere in between and has a number
of unique characteristics, as we shall be explaining at the Yak and Yet presentation.
To begin with most British fine and medium apparel wools — and these
make up roughly half of the UK production — have a much higher degree of crimp for a
given diameter of fibre than wools from other parts of the world. This gives exceptional
springiness and elasticity and garments made from such wools wear well, resist creasing
and rapidly regain their shape after being compressed.
Another important fact is color. Certain British wools are wholly brown or
black with rangers of grey and other shades in between. Using a careful selection of
different types, yarns and designs can be produced in a range of wholly natural colours,
without the use of dyes.
Among the 60 plus breeds can be found wool types for producing highly
original and attractive special effects in fashion garments and other products.
Among these speciality types are Masham wools from Yorkshire, which have a
lustrous sheen and are highly valued by cloth designers and manufacturers; the white and
red kempy types from Scotland, Wales and other mountain areas which give such a
distinctive appearance to the traditional British tweeds; and wools such as Shetland and
Cheviot which may appear coarse but which have an invitingly soft “handle” when
made up into garments.
Most of the major sheep growing areas of the UK have high rainfall,
especially in hill and mountain. To thrive there, our native breeds have developed a
fleece which sheds rain instead of absorbing it. This makes their wool especially valuable
for the manufacture of outdoor garments which require both warmth and wet resistance.
And of course modern technology provides guaranteed easy care, with built in
moth proofing, permanent creasing or pleats. Specially treated yarns can also enable
garments to be machine washed and drip dried,with only the very minimum of ironing.
This week’s seminar addressed itself to rugs and carpets, one of the
most vital areas of Nepal’s export economy. As we shall aim to explain, this is a
field where the qualities of UK wool-resilience, softness and warmth-can come into their
own. It is durable and gives excellent wear; it reproduces colours superbly, does not
easily attract dirt, and provides luxurious comfort. In the UK, home grown wool meets the
rigorous demands of manufacturers of woven and tufted carpets for both domestic and
industrial use. British wool has both bulk and bounce which withstands heavy pressure and
football and helps maintain the appearance of a carpet over long periods. It is also non
combustible and sound absorbent.
Wool grown by British sheep is used to carpet Royal palaces, many of the
world’s top hotels, prestige stores and premier cruise ships.
As an adult, now living and working in Kathmandu, I notice that in this
season the Nepalese are as fond of their woollen wear just as much as ever were as
children in England and Scotland. I hope as many as our Nepalese friends who want to will
join us to talk about all these things at the Yak and Yet later this week.
(The author is British Ambassador for Nepal) |
