These graded fleece samples were given to Lynn Michael by Oliver Henry, a Shetland wool expert who has graded 80% of all wool on Shetland for the past 40 years.

​

When Garrett Ramsay met with Oliver Henry, Oliver stated that grades 4 and 5 in the whites are not 1927 breed standard and until the last decade or so, there wasn't a market for them. So they made teddy bears and Shetland carpet with them. Colored fleeces are only graded 1, 2 or 3, with 3 being rough. White has five grades with 4 and 5 being rough. Graders also will grade one fleece and separate as needed into the different grades, so much of the rough grade is britch wool from finer grades.

​

Oliver commented that the finest fleece typically didn't get to the mill, because breeders kept it for hand spinning or to sell to hand spinners.