Wool Testing Services has been operating in New Zealand as an independent wool quality certification body since 1964. It was originally a branch of Wool Testing Services International, based in England, which provided similar services to clients throughout Europe, Central Asia, and
South America. Since 1988 Wool Testing Services has operated as a division of SGS New Zealand, part of the Société Générale de Surveillance group, and has continued to commit resources to a continuous quality improvement programme.

Whilst we test most animal fibres, most of our work is undertaken on greasy and scoured sheep’s wool in accordance with the requirements of the standards
and regulations of the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO: www.iwto.org). This organisation was created to defend the interests of the wool industry as a whole - from woolgrowers to wool textile traders, processors, spinners and weavers. Its members are the national organisations representative of the above interests in its member countries, themselves representative of some 90% of the wool textile activity around the world. In New Zealand the
representative body is the National Council of New Zealand Wool Interests.