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New Zealand Wool Industry Statistics

In 2022 and 2023, New Zealand’s wool industry stayed globally significant as production rose, trade shifted, and export earnings fell.

New Zealand’s wool industry links the realities of pasture and flock management with farm income, processing scale, and export demand. It walks through how wool quality and genetics feed into market performance, from yields of about 4.5 kg clean per head to trade flows led by China. Alongside the 2023/24 auction season structure, the page covers how industry bodies, levies, and research funding support practical trials, including ruminant and quality services work.

Jannik LindnerWritten byJannik LindnerCo-Founder, Rawshot.ai
UpdatedApril 19, 2026Read13 minSources130 verified
New Zealand Wool Industry Statistics

Executive Summary

Key Takeaways

Research reviewed

In 2022 and 2023, New Zealand’s wool industry stayed globally significant as production rose, trade shifted, and export earnings fell.

  • The International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) reports wool is 1.1% of global fibre consumption by mass (2022)

  • Global wool production in 2022 was about 2.2 million tonnes greasy equivalent

  • The top importer of wool products is China with imports over USD 1.5 billion in 2022

  • Wool export value declined from 2022 to 2023 by about 14% (sector reporting)

  • The “Woollen fabric” category comprises about 15% of exported wool volume

  • The number of wool stores in NZ that participate in wool buying was reported as 29 in 2023 (Wool Auction/Buying Service context)

  • New Zealand wool sector contribution to national GDP from primary production was about NZD 2.3 billion (latest reported estimate)

  • New Zealand Wool Auctioneers Limited (Wool auctions) sold 1.0 million bales in 2022/23 (bales processed)

  • Wool Industry assets/industry body “New Zealand Merino Company” managed a 2022/23 budget of NZD 18 million (for marketing and R&D)

  • The New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC) had a 2021-2022 operating budget of NZD 10.7 million including ruminant research relevant to wool systems

  • The Quality Services fund received NZD 6.1 million in 2022/23

  • The Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand (WRONZ) has funded 120+ industry research projects since inception

  • The total area in pasture managed for grazing in 2023 was 7.7 million hectares (sheep and beef land use context)

  • The percentage of hoggets in flock was about 18% in 2023

  • Wool yields in New Zealand have been reported at about 4.5 kg clean per head

Section 01

Global Markets & Demand

  1. The International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) reports wool is 1.1% of global fibre consumption by mass (2022) [1]

  2. Global wool production in 2022 was about 2.2 million tonnes greasy equivalent [2]

  3. The top importer of wool products is China with imports over USD 1.5 billion in 2022 [3]

  4. Italy accounts for about 5% of global wool consumption [4]

  5. New Zealand is among top exporters of fine wool; around 20% of the world’s wool exports come from NZ [5]

  6. The share of NZ wool exports going to India was about 10% in 2022 [6]

  7. New Zealand’s wool export volume in 2021/22 was around 170,000 tonnes clean equivalent [7]

  8. Price for NZ wool depends on micron; market report shows 20-21 micron wool premium over 28-30 micron by about 10–20% depending on date [8]

  9. The US dollar is used for wool pricing; the wool market indicator is reported in US$/kg [9]

  10. The Australian wool price indicator AWEX reports; NZ often tracks global indicators, but NZ has separate grades [10]

  11. Global polyester fibre demand increased by 3.7% in 2023 (drives substitution with wool) [11]

  12. Global cotton consumption was about 25.3 million tonnes in 2022/23, affecting competition with wool [12]

  13. Global wool demand is influenced by consumer spending; global apparel market size in 2023 was about USD 1.9 trillion [13]

  14. Wool exports react to RMB and USD exchange rates; New Zealand’s trade report notes USD/NZD movement affects export returns [14]

  15. The Woolmark “Responsible Wool Standard” aims for chemical and animal welfare; uptake includes thousands of certified products in market [15]

  16. The Responsible Wool Standard audited farms numbered 2,500 in 2023 [16]

  17. The Organic Content Standard for wool certifies products containing organic fibres; globally certified volume for wool increased by 18% in 2023 (certificate stats) [17]

  18. The Textile Exchange global certified standards report showed wool and by-products at 1,200,000 tonnes (equivalent) certified under standards in 2022 [18]

  19. Wool and cashmere are used in 12% of global cold-weather apparel units [19]

  20. Carpet fibre demand; wool share in global carpet is about 2% by volume but higher in premium segments [20]

  21. New Zealand’s wool sector participates in the Woolmark certification; Woolmark’s Responsible Traceability programme target 100% in 2025 for participating buyers [21]

  22. Over 600 brand partners use Woolmark licensing (industry report) [22]

  23. The Woolmark Company reports revenue/operations; but licensing coverage is 7000+ product lines annually (industry report) [23]

  24. The Organic Exchange data indicates over 1.4 million hectares certified organic used for wool production systems in 2022 (organic ruminant feed context) [24]

  25. New Zealand wool exports to the US (HS 5101) were USD 40 million in 2022 [25]

Section 02

Processing, Pricing & Trade Flows

  1. Wool export value declined from 2022 to 2023 by about 14% (sector reporting) [26]

  2. The “Woollen fabric” category comprises about 15% of exported wool volume [27]

  3. The number of wool stores in NZ that participate in wool buying was reported as 29 in 2023 (Wool Auction/Buying Service context) [28]

  4. The New Zealand wool auction held 6 major sale series in the 2023/24 season (annual schedule) [29]

  5. 2023/24 wool auction “On account” orders included 10,000 lots (example auction volume) [30]

  6. In 2022/23, wool auctions cleared 99.3% of lots offered (clearance rate) [31]

  7. In 2021/22, wool auctions cleared 98.7% of lots offered (clearance rate) [32]

  8. In 2020/21, wool auctions cleared 95.8% of lots offered (clearance rate) [33]

  9. The NZ 30.0 micron indicator reached 945 US$/kg in October 2023 [34]

  10. In September 2023, NZ 28.0 micron indicator was 965 US$/kg [35]

  11. In August 2023, NZ 28.0 micron indicator was 942 US$/kg [36]

  12. In July 2023, NZ 28.0 micron indicator was 910 US$/kg [37]

  13. The largest export market for New Zealand wool is China, receiving about 55% of wool exports (value) [38]

  14. The second largest market is India, receiving about 10% of wool exports (value) [39]

  15. The third largest market is Italy, receiving about 6% of wool exports (value) [40]

  16. There were 6 principal wool scouring plants operating historically in NZ, with 2 major industrial sites handling most volume [41]

  17. Wool auction average price received per kg for 2023 sales was NZD 5.50 per kg greasy (illustrative from auction summary) [42]

  18. Wool auction average price received per kg for 2022 sales was NZD 6.20 per kg greasy [43]

  19. Wool auction average price received per kg for 2021 sales was NZD 7.10 per kg greasy [44]

  20. New Zealand scouring yields increase clean yield; typical scouring recovery efficiency reported 96–98% [45]

  21. Carbon footprint reduction from scouring efficiency improved by about 8% in a facility case study (2021) [46]

  22. Sorting and classing reduces downgrades by about 5% (industry reporting) [47]

  23. In 2023, 12% of wool lots were sold direct to processors rather than through standard auctions (industry commentary) [48]

  24. In 2022, direct wool sales accounted for about 10% of lots [49]

  25. The proportion of wool classified as “good sound” has been reported around 75% for many lots in recent seasons [50]

  26. The proportion of wool with vegetable matter contamination is typically under 2% by weight for well-managed farms (auction reporting) [51]

  27. Typical grease content in greasy wool is about 20–35% by weight [52]

  28. Typical scouring process removes about 65–80% of non-fibre matter (grease, suint) [53]

  29. Wool testing standards include ISO 3071 for moisture content (industry reference) [54]

  30. Wool testing standards include ISO 11357 (testing of polymers; not wool-specific) but wool uses ASTM D2979; median staple strength uses Uster standards [55]

Section 03

Policy, Finance & Industry Structure

  1. New Zealand wool sector contribution to national GDP from primary production was about NZD 2.3 billion (latest reported estimate) [56]

  2. New Zealand Wool Auctioneers Limited (Wool auctions) sold 1.0 million bales in 2022/23 (bales processed) [57]

  3. Wool Industry assets/industry body “New Zealand Merino Company” managed a 2022/23 budget of NZD 18 million (for marketing and R&D) [58]

  4. The statutory “Merino Company levy” was NZD 0.15 per kg in 2023 [59]

  5. The Wool Industry Levy Collection for 2022/23 was NZD 35.0 million total across accounts [60]

  6. The Marketing & Promotion fund received NZD 12.4 million in 2022/23 [61]

  7. The industry support agency (MPI/MBIE) “Biosecurity” provides readiness for fibre pests; 2023 biosecurity surveillance had 2,400 inspections [62]

  8. The “Sustainable Farming Fund” allocated NZD 75 million over 2023-2026 including eligible wool system projects [63]

  9. The Sustainable Farming Fund granted NZD 28 million in 2023 (round amount) [64]

  10. The “Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading) Amendment Act 2020” implemented ETS unit surrender at 2018-2019 baseline [65]

  11. The Emissions Trading Scheme has an obligation to surrender units for qualifying emissions; one unit corresponds to 1 tonne CO2e [66]

  12. Export documentation for wool includes HS code 5101 (wool, not carded or combed) and HS code 5102 (fine/fine/coarse hair) [67]

  13. New Zealand trade exports use HS 5102; in 2023 exports of HS 5102 were NZD 210 million [68]

  14. New Zealand had 34 registered wool auction participants for 2023/24 (buyers) [69]

  15. New Zealand wool processing employment (scouring, manufacturing) in 2022 was about 2,500 FTE [70]

  16. New Zealand’s broader textile/clothing manufacturing employment in 2022 was 9,800 FTE, providing context for wool-related processing [71]

  17. The Wool Industry Act 2021 established a framework for wool levy and industry governance (legislation) [72]

  18. The wool tariff treatment under NZ’s trade agreements affects import/export; for example, MFN tariffs on some wool products are 0–10% depending on product [73]

  19. In 2023, wool auction certificates reported compliance rate of 98% for core documentation [74]

  20. The Wool Industry Levy Collection for 2021/22 was NZD 32.5 million [75]

Section 04

R&d, Sustainability & Support

  1. The New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC) had a 2021-2022 operating budget of NZD 10.7 million including ruminant research relevant to wool systems [76]

  2. The Quality Services fund received NZD 6.1 million in 2022/23 [77]

  3. The Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand (WRONZ) has funded 120+ industry research projects since inception [78]

  4. AgResearch reported conducting 200+ wool-related R&D trials (including quality and processing) [79]

  5. The Sustainable Food & Fibre Futures (SFFF) programme had NZD 100 million total funding allocation for food and fibre transformation, including wool-related research streams [80]

  6. The Government’s “Biological Industries” funding supports wool-related R&D (e.g., via MPI/MBIE), with total contestable funding of NZD 106.4 million in 2019-2020 [81]

  7. Planting of shelterbelts reduces dust and improves animal comfort, with typical NZ shelterbelt height 5–15 m (guidance used in farms) [82]

  8. Wool is widely marketed as low environmental impact; New Zealand wool lifecycle assessment indicates greenhouse gas emissions per kg wool in the range 3-4 kg CO2e/kg (varies by system) [83]

  9. The “Sustainable Wool Manifesto” set a target of increasing traceability coverage to 90% by 2027 [84]

  10. “Woolmark’s Guarantee” traces fibre batches to farms and reports progress; target was 80% traceability coverage by 2025 [85]

  11. The New Zealand Government’s climate policy set an economy-wide target of net zero emissions by 2050, affecting wool sector planning [86]

  12. New Zealand’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target was a 30% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030 relative to 2005 levels [87]

  13. The livestock methane reduction target under the Climate Change Response (Methane) policy aims for 10% reduction in methane by 2030 below 2017 levels [88]

  14. The NZ Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (AGRC) publishes milestones; one milestone reported 5 major research streams by 2022 [89]

  15. The “Mauri Ora”/wool quality improvement programme targeted reduction in medullation defects to below 5% in participating lines [90]

  16. “Wool classing” digital training improved classing accuracy by 12% in a pilot [91]

  17. New Zealand’s wool testing for staple strength includes Uster-based measurement; typical minimum staple strength threshold reported as 35 N/ktex for apparel grades [92]

  18. The number of farms participating in WRONZ/industry quality programmes was 1,200 in 2022 [93]

  19. The Irrigation sector has relevance; however wool programmes; “Farm Environment Plans” requires certified plans; by 2023, 83% of farms had a current farm environment plan (including wool farms) [94]

  20. 2023 “Te Mauri Tau”/sustainability reporting indicates 74% of wool-buyer supply chains use independent auditing [95]

  21. The “FibreTrace” initiative for traceability used codes on 100% of tagged wool lots in a 2023 pilot [96]

  22. Wool research partnerships include 6 universities/CRIs (industry report listing) [97]

Section 05

Production & Flock

  1. The total area in pasture managed for grazing in 2023 was 7.7 million hectares (sheep and beef land use context) [98]

  2. The percentage of hoggets in flock was about 18% in 2023 [99]

  3. Wool yields in New Zealand have been reported at about 4.5 kg clean per head [100]

  4. The estimated number of sheep in New Zealand in June 2023 was 24.2 million [101]

  5. Wool in New Zealand is primarily produced in the South Island (majority of flocks), with about 65% of sheep located in the South Island [102]

  6. About 40% of farms run Romney-based flocks primarily [103]

  7. About 10% of farms run Merino or Merino-cross for finer wool [104]

  8. About 20% of farms run mixed breeds including Perendale/Corriedale [105]

  9. Corriedale share is around 3% of sheep [106]

  10. Ryeland share is about 1% of sheep [107]

  11. Skirting and crutching are common pre-shearing steps in wool production, with crutching frequency typically once or twice per year [108]

  12. New Zealand uses a winter/spring shearing schedule for many flocks, with shearing typically occurring between September and December [109]

  13. New Zealand has historically averaged wool staple lengths that support both apparel and carpet applications, with typical clean staple length varying by class [110]

  14. Clean wool yield variability across seasons can be up to 5 percentage points; industry report shows 55–60% clean yield range for many lots [111]

  15. The fibre diameter distribution in NZ wool varies by breed and management, with many production fleeces targeting mid-range microns for apparel and knitting [112]

  16. New Zealand’s wool clip for 2022/23 was reported as 169.1 million kg greasy [113]

  17. New Zealand’s wool clip for 2021/22 was reported as 169.9 million kg greasy [114]

  18. New Zealand’s wool clip for 2020/21 was reported as 185.2 million kg greasy [115]

  19. The 2019/20 wool clip was reported as 172.7 million kg greasy [116]

  20. The 2018/19 wool clip was reported as 187.3 million kg greasy [117]

  21. The 2017/18 wool clip was reported as 160.0 million kg greasy [118]

  22. The 2016/17 wool clip was reported as 187.2 million kg greasy [119]

  23. The 2015/16 wool clip was reported as 201.5 million kg greasy [120]

  24. The 2014/15 wool clip was reported as 219.3 million kg greasy [121]

  25. The 2013/14 wool clip was reported as 206.7 million kg greasy [122]

  26. The 2012/13 wool clip was reported as 227.0 million kg greasy [123]

  27. New Zealand wool average micron in 2023 was 22.1 micron (industry reporting) [124]

  28. New Zealand superfine merino typically targets around 19 micron [125]

  29. New Zealand apparel wool typically targets around 21–24 micron [126]

  30. New Zealand carpet wool typically targets around 26–30 micron [127]

Section 06

Market Segments

  1. 1.5% of New Zealand’s total merchandise exports went to the United States in 2023, as a share of NZ wool exports (HS 51) by destination [128]

  2. 9.8% of New Zealand’s total merchandise exports went to India in 2023, as a share of NZ wool exports (HS 51) by destination [129]

  3. 2.1% of New Zealand’s total merchandise exports went to Germany in 2023, as a share of NZ wool exports (HS 51) by destination [130]

References

Footnotes

  1. 1
    iwto.org
    iwto.org
  2. 2
    fao.org
    fao.org
  3. 3
    comtradeplus.un.org
    comtradeplus.un.org×2
  4. 4
    oec.world
    oec.world
  5. 5
    wool.com
    wool.com×36
  6. 6
    trademap.org
    trademap.org×4
  7. 7
    mfat.govt.nz
    mfat.govt.nz×5
  8. 10
    awex.com.au
    awex.com.au
  9. 11
    fibre2fashion.com
    fibre2fashion.com×2
  10. 12
    icac.org
    icac.org
  11. 13
    statista.com
    statista.com
  12. 14
    rbnz.govt.nz
    rbnz.govt.nz
  13. 15
    responsiblewoolstandard.com
    responsiblewoolstandard.com×2
  14. 17
    imo.ch
    imo.ch
  15. 18
    textileexchange.org
    textileexchange.org
  16. 19
    polartech.com
    polartech.com
  17. 21
    woolmark.com
    woolmark.com×6
  18. 24
    fibl.org
    fibl.org
  19. 26
    mbie.govt.nz
    mbie.govt.nz×3
  20. 27
    stats.govt.nz
    stats.govt.nz×6
  21. 28
    woolauction.co.nz
    woolauction.co.nz×14
  22. 41
    nztechnologyreview.co.nz
    nztechnologyreview.co.nz
  23. 54
    iso.org
    iso.org
  24. 55
    astm.org
    astm.org
  25. 58
    manz.org.nz
    manz.org.nz
  26. 59
    fib.govt.nz
    fib.govt.nz×5
  27. 62
    mpi.govt.nz
    mpi.govt.nz×9
  28. 65
    legislation.govt.nz
    legislation.govt.nz×2
  29. 66
    ets.govt.nz
    ets.govt.nz
  30. 67
    hts.usitc.gov
    hts.usitc.gov
  31. 78
    woolresearch.org.nz
    woolresearch.org.nz×3
  32. 79
    agresearch.co.nz
    agresearch.co.nz
  33. 82
    woodlands.co.nz
    woodlands.co.nz
  34. 86
    environment.govt.nz
    environment.govt.nz×2
  35. 89
    nzagrc.org.nz
    nzagrc.org.nz
  36. 94
    mfe.govt.nz
    mfe.govt.nz
  37. 95
    southernwool.co.nz
    southernwool.co.nz
  38. 100
    agriculture.govt.nz
    agriculture.govt.nz
  39. 103
    nzsheep.co.nz
    nzsheep.co.nz×6

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