WHAT WE DO
The International Wool Textile Organisation is the global authority for standards in the wool textile industry. Since 1930, IWTO has represented the collected interests of the global wool trade.
With 36 members in 24 countries, IWTO’s membership encompasses all stages of the wool textile pipeline. From farm to retail, through research, education, and knowledge sharing, IWTO ensures a sustainable future for wool.
OUR ACTIVITIES
Events
IWTO holds two events each year. The annual Congress brings together the world’s wool professionals for knowledge-sharing and networking. The Wool Round Table focuses on internal IWTO business and insight into the IWTO member country where it takes place.
Wool Market Intelligence
How many sheep are there in the world? How much wool is produced each year? Which country is the largest wool importer?
Figures like these are key for everyone working in the wool industry and the Market Intelligence Committee is charged with providing them.
Wool Trading Standards
The IWTO standards and regulations form the basis for trade within the industry.
IWTO’s Contracts & Specifications Committee is responsible for developing and updating the Specifications, Test Methods and Draft Test Methods.
Learn more about IWTO’s wool trade standards
IWTO Members, log in here to access the Red and White Books
Ensuring a Sustainable Future for the Wool Industry
IWTO’s Working Groups provide forums in which the industry can focus on key areas of importance. Through the Working Groups, research is facilitated and shared, strategies developed, and issues reviewed. All members are encouraged to actively participate in the working gorups.
Sustainability
Wool is an all-natural, renewable fibre, grown on sheep. IWTO and its Members are dedicated to making wool’s environmental qualities more understandable and quantifiable.
There are many aspects to wool sustainability. Learn more on our Sustainability pages.
Wool for Health & Wellness
Consumer demand for products related to health and wellbeing is a key and long-term trend – and one in which wool has a large part to play.
Wool has many natural properties that are proven to be beneficial for health, wellness and comfort – learn more about these on our Health & Wellness pages.
Wool Sheep Welfare
The Wool Sheep Welfare working group is tasked with keeping IWTO’s Wool Sheep Welfare Specications relevant and up to date. Read more at iwto.org/sheep/wool-sheep-welfare.
Wool Trade Biosecurity
Ensuring positive animal health outcomes is of paramount concern for the global wool industry, including ensuring freedom from emergency animal diseases, such as Foot-and-Mouth disease (FMD).
Wool Interiors
Naturally flame resistant and capable of filtering VOCs, wool lends itself readily to applications for home and other interiors. Learn more about wool indoors with our Wool Interiors fact sheet.
Resources
IWTO Resources include Fact Sheets, Wool Notes and more – discover them all at our Resources page.