Staple Length

Before wool becomes yarn its length helps shape the story.

Staple length describes the length of a lock of wool – the small bundle of fibers that grows together in a fleece. It is usually given in inches or centimeters and varies between breeds and individual fleeces.

For a handspinner that length helps guide how the wool is prepared and how the fibers are drawn out during spinning. Longer and shorter fibers behave differently in the hands, so the spinner adjusts their technique to suit them.

Staple length is one part of the picture. Fiber thickness, crimp, preparation and twist also help determine the character of the finished yarn.

Curator’s Note: Staple length measures the wool before spinning. Yardage measures the yarn afterward. Both tell us something useful about what we are holding.