Raw wool sheared from sheep contains a high level of grease which contains
valuable lanolin as well as dirt, dead skin, suint, and vegetable matter.
A typical Merino fl eece contains about 13.6% wool wax, 3.1% suint and
12.9% dirt (inorganic and organic) (Prins, 2009). The average yields of clean
dry wool vary according to the breed, but generally Merino types yield
60–70% of clean wool after processing.