With more than 50 sheep breeds, France produces around 10,000 tonnes of wool every year. Rich and diverse, sheep farming contributes to biodiversity, food security, the rural economy and the preservation of rural landscapes.
French Wool: A Strategic Asset for the French Textile Industry
France’s sheep-farming tradition is an invaluable asset for the country.
French wool—readily available and locally produced—is a strategic resource for our national textile industries, offering a natural, renewable raw material with outstanding properties.
With more than 2,000 companies and 60,000 jobs, access to high-quality raw textile fibres is essential for the long-term viability of the French textile industry. Wool plays a key role in addressing the social, environmental and societal challenges the industry faces.
Segard Masurel: Supporting the French Wool Sector and Sheep Farmers
In response to environmental and economic challenges, a growing number of projects are emerging across France to strengthen local value chains around wool, as well as flax, hemp and nettle.
Since 2021, Segard Masurel has been supporting wool production in France by working closely with sheep farmers to encourage best practices that ensure high-quality wool.
Shearing is a crucial moment both for the sheep and for producing premium wool. Raising awareness among farmers of best shearing practices is essential for animal welfare and for enhancing the value of French wool on the market. We apply the same standards and methods used by our teams working with farmers in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
To be marketable, wool must be clean and sorted at the time of shearing to ensure efficient processing into French wool yarns and high-quality textiles.
To support the development of wool-based textile projects for our industrial clients and textile brands, we produce French wool yarn from our partner farmers, ensuring full traceability from farm to yarn.
We are committed to paying a quality-based premium to our partner farmers, recognising their efforts and encouraging improved shearing practices.
A Dynamic and Growing French Wool Industry
Since the Covid-19 pandemic and the introduction of new European textile regulations—such as the AGEC law and environmental labelling—we have seen a renewed interest from textile brands and companies in French wool and local sourcing.
Wool is a versatile fibre used for far more than clothing: mattresses, interior decoration (curtains, sheets, cushions, etc.), fertilisers and more.
Raising awareness among both farmers and textile companies about the many possible uses for French wool is essential to encourage its use and processing within our regions.
Across France, a large number of industrial and individual initiatives seek to promote natural fibres such as wool and flax, which are available locally.
The UIT (Union of Textile Industries) has mapped all private and collective initiatives across every region that contribute to developing natural-fibre value chains such as wool, flax and hemp.
