Most craft-store wool comes in one-ounce packets. That works for a first needle-felting project — but if you felt regularly, teach a classroom, run a studio, or spin your own yarn, buying by the ounce gets expensive fast. Buying combed top by the pound typically cuts the per-ounce cost dramatically, and it's how fiber studios and schools have always bought their wool.

What you're actually buying

"Wool top" (often called roving) is wool that has been washed, carded, and combed so all the fibers run the same direction in a long, continuous rope. Sold by the pound, it arrives as one generous coil. A pound of extra-fine Merino is a surprising amount of wool — for reference, it's 16 of those craft-store packets.

How to judge quality before you buy

What to check	What to look for
Micron count (fiber fineness)	Under 23 microns counts as extra-fine. Finer fiber blends smoothly, and is soft enough for anything that touches skin. Ours runs 19–22 microns.
Staple length	The length of the individual fibers. 58–70 mm (2.3–2.75 in) drafts smoothly for spinning and felts evenly.
Dye safety	Look for OEKO-TEX certified dyes — independently tested safe for skin contact, which matters for classrooms and for anything you'll wear.
Animal welfare	Mulesing-free sourcing is the cruelty-free standard worth insisting on.
Color consistency	Dye lots vary between suppliers and batches. Order swatches before committing to pounds — any good supplier will offer them.

How much wool do you need?

• Needle felters: a palm-sized sculpture uses roughly 0.5–1 oz over a core; a pound supports a season of serious work.
• Educators: plan about 0.5 oz per student per project — a pound covers a classroom of 30 with room to spare.
• Spinners: a pound of Merino wool top spins into roughly 1,400–2,000 yards of fingering-weight yarn, depending on your grist.
• Wet felters: garments and vessels consume wool quickly — most start at a pound per substantial project.

Our bulk merino, plainly stated

We stock extra-fine Merino combed top by the pound in 50+ colors: 19–22 micron, 58–70 mm staple, grown on South American farms, processed in Europe, mulesing-free, and dyed with OEKO-TEX certified dyes. One-pound minimum, no account required, warehoused in Idaho and shipped in 1–2 business days.

Not sure about a color? Order up to 5 free swatches — you pay only the actual shipping — and feel the wool before you commit.

Buying for a school or a business?

Our educator program and wholesale program offer deeper pricing on the same wool. Applications take only about two minutes.