As temperatures rise during the summer months, one of the questions we are often asked is how sheep manage beneath what appears to be a very warm woolly coat.
Wool is an extraordinary natural fibre, but during warmer weather sheep still need careful management to help them remain comfortable and healthy. At this time of year, our sheep have all been shorn, which is an important part of the farming calendar and helps reduce the risk of heat stress during the summer months.
However, keeping sheep cool involves much more than simply removing their fleece.
How Sheep Regulate Their Temperature
Sheep naturally adapt their behaviour when the weather becomes hot. They will seek shade, rest more, drink additional water and reduce unnecessary movement during the warmest part of the day.
When they become too warm, sheep may also increase their breathing rate and begin to pant, which helps them release excess body heat.
Although shearing removes the bulk of the fleece, recently shorn sheep still require careful management. Wool provides insulation, and without the protection of a full fleece, sheep can be more exposed to direct sunlight and sudden changes in weather.
During periods of high temperatures, it is therefore especially important that sheep have:
- Continuous access to clean,
- fresh water Shade from trees, hedges or suitable shelters
- Adequate airflow and space
- Minimal handling during the hottest part of the day
- Regular monitoring for signs of heat stress
- Caring for the flock means continually observing their behaviour and adapting our management according to the weather and conditions on the farm.
What Is Lanolin?
Lanolin is one of the most interesting natural substances associated with wool.
Also known as wool wax or wool grease, lanolin is a waxy substance produced by the sebaceous glands in a sheep’s skin. It coats the individual wool fibres, helping to lubricate and soften the fleece while providing protection against the weather.
Chemically, lanolin is a highly complex mixture containing wax esters, fatty acids, alcohols and sterols.
It is important to note that lanolin is not the sheep’s cooling system. Its role is primarily protective. It helps maintain the condition of the fleece and contributes to the water-resistant coating around the wool fibres.
Anyone who has handled a freshly shorn fleece will be familiar with its slightly greasy feel. That is the naturally occurring wool wax present within the raw fleece.
How Lanolin Is Recovered
Before wool can be spun, woven or turned into finished products, it must first be professionally washed in a process known as scouring.
During scouring, dirt, dust, natural oils and wool grease are removed from the raw fleece. The wool grease can then be separated from the wash water, recovered and refined into different grades of lanolin.
This means that lanolin is not simply discarded during wool processing. It can become a valuable material in its own right.
For us, this is another wonderful example of how every part of the fleece can have value and purpose.
Lanolin in Skincare and Toiletries
Highly purified grades of lanolin are widely used in cosmetic, skincare and pharmaceutical formulations.
Lanolin is valued for its emollient properties, meaning it helps soften and condition the skin. It can also support the skin’s natural moisture barrier by helping reduce moisture loss.
Purified lanolin is an important ingredient within our traditional Romney Marsh Wools lanolin toiletries range, including our:
- Lanolin soaps
- Hand and body lotions
- Hand wash
- Lanolin balm
- Repair and skincare products
- These products celebrate one of wool’s lesser-known natural benefits while continuing the long tradition of using lanolin in skincare.
The lanolin used within toiletries must be carefully refined and purified to meet the standards required for cosmetic use. We do not suggest that the lanolin used in our products comes directly from our own flock; rather, our range demonstrates how a valuable element recovered during wool processing can be used within high-quality finished products.
Industrial Uses for Lanolin
Not all recovered wool grease is suitable for cosmetic or pharmaceutical use. Technical and lower grades of lanolin also have a wide variety of valuable industrial applications.
These can include:
Rust-prevention and anti-corrosion coatings
Lubricating greases
Leather treatments
Wood polishes
Paints
Protective finishes
Lanolin’s water-resistant and lubricating properties make it particularly useful in products designed to protect metals, machinery and other materials from moisture and corrosion.
This wider use of wool grease is another reminder that the value of a fleece extends far beyond clothing, knitting yarn or soft furnishings.
Every Part of the Fleece Has a Purpose
Wool is one of nature’s most versatile fibres.
The fibre itself can be used for yarn, clothing, blankets, bedding, insulation, upholstery and many other applications. Even the wool grease removed during processing can be refined and used within skincare, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and industrial products.
This ability to use multiple elements of the fleece reflects an important part of responsible wool production: valuing the whole resource rather than viewing wool as a single-purpose material.
At Romney Marsh Wools, we believe that understanding the full story behind wool helps people appreciate why it remains such an important natural fibre.
Caring for Sheep and Valuing Wool
Responsible wool production begins with the health and welfare of the sheep.
During hot summer weather, that means ensuring the flock has access to water and shade, reducing unnecessary handling and monitoring them closely for any signs of discomfort.
It also means understanding the science behind the fleece and recognising the many ways in which wool and its naturally occurring components can be used.
From the protective wool growing on the sheep to the lanolin recovered during processing, every part of the fleece has a story, a function and a potential purpose.
That is what makes wool such an extraordinary, renewable natural resource—and why we remain so passionate about supporting British farming, British wool and the skilled people who help transform it into useful, long-lasting products.