The Rug Library

The Central Wool Development Board was constituted in July 1987 with its headquarters at Jodhpur, Rajasthan, to bring together the varied interests of India's wool industry under an integrated policy approach.

The surface of a wool fibre is covered with overlapping cuticle scales, arranged like roof shingles, which help wool fibres lock together when felted.

The Central Wool Development Board serves as an advisory body to India's Ministry of Textiles on matters relating to the growth and development of the wool sector.

The Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute at Avikanagar, Rajasthan, developed the Avikalin sheep strain for carpet wool and the Bharat Merino strain for fine wool.

Wool is chiefly composed of the protein keratin, whose helical molecular structure contributes to the fibre's elasticity, strength and resilience.

The natural crimp, or wave, of wool fibres gives wool its bulk and springiness: a stretched fibre straightens but returns to its crimped shape when released.

Woolmark notes that wool's chemical structure makes it naturally flame resistant, and unlike many synthetics it does not melt and drip.

Research promoted by Woolmark reports that wool carpets can improve indoor air quality by absorbing certain airborne pollutants and buffering changes in indoor humidity.

The Magra sheep of Rajasthan's Bikaner region, also called Bikaneri Chokla, is known for an extremely white, lustrous fleece of medium carpet quality.

Ministry of Textiles data describe about 85% of India's wool as carpet grade, around 5% apparel grade and about 10% coarser grade.

Most Indian wool is coarse and goes largely into the handmade carpet industry, while fine apparel wool for mills is mostly imported.

Rajasthan is India's largest wool-producing state; Ministry of Textiles figures for 2017–18 put it ahead of Jammu & Kashmir, Telangana and Karnataka.

Official Indian figures put average wool yield at about 0.9 kg per sheep per year, well below a world average of roughly 2.4 kg.

Britannica notes that most carpets are made of sheep's wool because it is durable, dyes readily and is easy to handle.

Superior carpet-wool sheep breeds of India, such as Chokla, Nali, Magra, Jaisalmeri, Pugal and Patanwadi, are concentrated in the arid and semi-arid north-west, especially Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat.

The Avikalin carpet-wool strain was evolved at Avikanagar, Rajasthan, in 1975 by pooling Rambouillet crosses with the local Malpura and Jaisalmeri breeds.