Axminster wool buyers regularly attend wool auctions held by the British Wool Marketing Board which handles all the fleece wool in the UK on behalf of 80,000 sheep farmers. Two thirds of the wool grown is used in quality carpet production and Axminster Carpets Ltd incorporates more that 90 per cent British wool in their carpets.

The buyers want to purchase particular types of resilient, hardwearing British wool most suited to Axminster carpet weaving. Before an auction, they select and value from many sample bales of wool. They are looking for colour and the length of the staple, but in particular, for strength and bulk. These characteristics distinguish British wool as a premier carpet fibre and have contributed to the worldwide reputation enjoyed by Axminster Carpets Ltd for the appearance, quality and wear of its ranges.

At Buckfast Mill, on the southern edge of Dartmoor, the raw wool is sorted according to fibre Iength and colour. White wool will be dyed in lighter colours, or left natural, while tinted fleeces will be dyed in darker colours. The wool fleeces are mechanically stretched out or 'opened' to a more uniform mass, before blending the most suitable mix of wool for carpet weaving. A six stage washing process removes dirt, grease and other impurities. This process is enhanced by the abundance of clean water from the crystal clear streams of Dartmoor.

The wool is dried and any dust is extracted, before it is blown into large storage bins, to relax and regain its original structure. It is then lightly lubricated, baled and left to condition process before the next process - carding.

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