the first flock in the uk to achieve SRUC MV and Johnes Monitored Status
British Wool Licensee for traceable british woollen yarns and woven products
Uping Down Shetlands
Fine Shetland Wool Growers and Hand Weavers
From Fleece to Yarns and Weaving
The process of creating our yarns and woven items starts with breeding the Shetland sheep on our farm in rural Dorset and includes shearing and spinning the fleece into yarn before weaving.
Our yarns are spun in North Yorkshire and woven in Dorset.
Along the way we ensure that traceability is fully maintained.
Lambing
The lambs are born in April and are raised on the fresh new grass of Spring. The dams and sires of each lamb are recorded so that their lineage is fully traceable for generations.
Shearing
Shearing takes place once a year in June and is undertaken on the farm by experienced local shearers. They take their time and carefully remove each fleece. The fleece is rolled and documented before being taken to the Fleece Barn on the farm for cleaning and sorting into bags by colour ready for us to take them to British Wool for inspection.
Carding and spinning
Once the fleeces have been inspected by British Wool, we take them to the Halifax Mill in North Yorkshire where they are washed, carded and spun. This is a specialised process which takes care and an intimate knowledge of the fleece so that the machines are set exactly right for the best yarn to be spun from the carded fleece.
Weaving
By David Gill
David is an accomplished hand weaver who designs and weaves with the yarns from our flock. Currently focussing on a collection of cosy scarves, he weaves on a variety of hand looms capable of producing wide-width woollen cloth as well as bespoke items. His work is available to buy and all of it comes with full traceability to the sheep from which it came.
Yarn supplier
to Charl Knitwear
Uping Down Shetlands is delighted to be working with Charl Knitwear in supplying yarn for garments in the 2026 Autumn/Winter collection. Click on the logo to visit the website.
