Worsted

Worsted ( /ˈwʊstɨd/) is a type of yarn, the fabric made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from Worstead, a village in the English county of Norfolk. This village, together with North Walsham and Aylsham, became a manufacturing centre for yarn and cloth in the 12th century when pasture enclosure, and liming rendered the East Angian soil too rich for the older agrarian sheep breeds; and weavers from Flanders moved to Norfolk.

Worsted was made from the long-staple pasture wool from sheep breeds such as Teeswaters, Old Leicester Longwool and Romney Marsh. Pasture wool was not carded: instead it was washed, gilled and combed using heated long tooth metal combs, oiled and spun. When woven, worsteds were scoured but not fulled.

Worsted wool fabric is typically used in the making of tailored garments such as suits, as opposed to woollen wool which is used for knitted items such as sweaters.