Wool You Help Us? Battersea Zoo Supports the London City Farm Yarn Project

That’s why we’re thrilled to be part of the London City Farm Yarn Project, a fantastic initiative that’s putting the spotlight on rare sheep breeds and the beautiful wool they produce.

Each year, city farms across London produce more than a ton of fleece from their sheep. Among these are some very special breeds: the Castlemilk Moorit, Soay, and Border Leicester, all of which are considered rare or heritage breeds in the UK. These animals grow stunning, high-quality fleece, but unfortunately, most of it goes to waste because small city farms don’t have the facilities to process it.

This is where the London City Farm Yarn Project steps in.

Spearheaded by a group of 10 wonderful city farms (including us at Battersea Park Children’s Zoo), the project collected 596 fleeces from 16 British breeds, totalling 1.192 tonnes of fleece. From that, an incredible 350kg of yarn has already been produced in two gorgeous natural shades: soft brown and creamy ecru.

And while we may not have native sheep breeds here at the zoo, we were proud to contribute fleece from our Valais Blacknose sheep, known for their woolly coats and friendly personalities.

At Battersea Zoo, we believe that zoos with farm areas have a unique opportunity to support native breeds, not just exotic animals. These animals are part of our national heritage and biodiversity, and they deserve just as much care and conservation focus as their wild counterparts. Supporting projects like this helps show just how valuable and versatile rare domestic breeds truly are.

So far, the entire project - fleece collection, processing, and spinning, has been self-funded. Now, the next step is turning this beautiful yarn into products, and for that, we need your help.

The project has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for product development and marketing, to bring these sustainable, heritage yarns to life in the form of clothing, homewares, and more. Every donation supports not only the wool itself but also the conservation of the amazing animals who produce it.

This is about more than wool. It’s about celebrating native breeds and encouraging zoos and our visitors to think more about and supporting sustainable British farming. 

Visit the Kickstarter to support this unique project. Let’s give London’s rare breed sheep the recognition - and future - they deserve.