Breeds of Sheep whose Wool is Used for Carpets

When we look at the kind of wool sheep have there are 4 main types, of course this is not counting the hair sheep.

Of the wool sheep there are those such as the Merino and Rambouillete who produce fine wool; wool with a diameter under 30 microns. There are long wool sheep such as the Lincoln and Romney. There are the medium wool sheep, who are also meat, such as the Dorset, Suffolk, Texel, and Hampshire, and then there are the carpet wool sheep such as the Scottish Blackface, Navajo Churro, Icelandic, Elliotdale, Carpetmaster, Drysdale, Awassi, and Karakul. Certain breeds of sheep are more popular in certain areas.

The carpet wool sheep tend to have wool that has a diameter greater than 38 microns. The wool is considered too coarse for clothing but is perfect for carpets. The sheep that produce this coarse wool often have thicker double coats, and live in cold climates.

Some people may wonder if collecting wool from a sheep for the purpose of making a carpet is cruel, but it is not as cruel as you might think. Wool is sheared from a sheep not only so we can collect it but also so the sheep do not overheat in the summer. A heavy coat of wool on an animal in the summer can cause heat stroke. Removing the wool also helps the farmer identify any problems with external parasites (keds). 

Occasionally a sheep may be nicked in the process of shearing but a good shearer is fast and does not cause undue stress, or injury, to the animals. 

In contrast a “sheepskin rug” is when the sheep is actually killed and skinned for its pelt.

The fleece that is sheared from a sheep is washed and can be dyed 

If you are looking for a carpet be sure to check Carpetvista, with over 15,000 carpets, and roughly 2,000 added each month you are sure to find the right carpet for you. Their prices are great and they have a 30 day money back guarantee. 

Carpetvista is located in Sweden but they sell affordable quality carpets throughout Europe – prices are indicated in Euros.

Handmade carpets probably originated in central Asia and are now best sold under the name of the area in which the carpet was made or by which group of people made the carpet (example a Persian rug).

Facts about the Icelandic Sheep

Icelandic sheep are a medium size breed of wool sheep that come from Iceland.  They are the decendants of sheep brought over to Iceland by the Vikings.  Icelandic sheep have naturally short tails which are not docked in North America as this disqualifies them from being registered.

Some Icelandic sheep are polled (have no horns) and others are non-polled (have horns), and horns can occur in both genders. These sheep come in many colors, with black, and patterned, sheep being common, as well as shades of brown. The Icelandic sheep have clean faces (not woolly), and clean legs. Some producers will shear their Icelandic sheep twice a year, once in the late winter, and again in the early fall.

photo source

The fleece of an Icelandic sheep consists of a soft undercoat, known as thel, and a longer coarse outer coat, known as tog. Thel is very soft and often used for baby clothes, tog is ideal for weaving. The two are sometimes used together as lopi.

The fleece of an Icelandic sheep is low in lanolin and often considered to be of good quality. Their wool is often used for carpets.

The Icelandic sheep breed is over 1,100 years old and have a reputation for being cold hardy, and tough.  Their hardiness comes as a result of natural breeding, and selected breeding, in the harsh climate, and environment, that is Iceland, a country where grain is not produced, and summer is relatively short.

Icelandic sheep are very prolific, often having twins or triplets, often producers prefer ewes to only have a single for their first year.

In North America Icelandic sheep are registered with the Canadian Livestock Records Corporation, and must be tattooed.

More information on Icelandic Sheep:

About Horns on Sheep

About Breeding Icelandic Sheep