Set up in 1963, the Indian Woollen Mills' Federation is the apex body of the organized woollen industry in India. The members of the Federation are engaged in manufacturing a wide range of products such as wool tops, woollen and worsted yam, woollen and worsted fabrics of all descriptions, shoddy yam, shoddy fabrics, blankets, machine made carpets and readymade garments. The activities of the members of the Federation cover the entire spectrum of production of the woollen industry which is catering to the needs of domestic market and exports The members of the Federation are prominent suppliers to the organizations of defense, police, fire brigades, home guards, semi-government institutions and have always maintained a close connection with the defense authorities and research and development programmes for defense production. During the national emergencies Federation was called upon to organize defense supply on large scale which was appreciated by the Government of India. The associate members of the Federation cover commercial house trading in raw material, machinery, carpet and hosiery manufacturers.

Federation's office in Mumbai has become a starting point for almost all the foreign nationals and delegations concerned with raw materials and machinery, which visit India from time to time. It has also become a meeting place for all the individuals concerned with the woollen industry in India and abroad for exchange of views on matters concerning the Indian woollen industry.

Indian Woollen Mills' Federation had organized export delegations to various countries of the world, which resulted in significant achievements in export promotion in all directions.

The IWTO World Conference covering all the wool growing and manufacturing countries of the world was very successfully organized by the Indian Woollen Mills' Federation in New Delhi in 1994. A large number of delegates from all parts of the world attended this Conference.

Federation had initiated setting up of the Wool & Woollens Export Promotion Council, Wool Research Association and Gujarat Sheep & Wool Development Corporation Ltd. in India.

Federation had also initiated setting up of Wool Industry Export Promotion Council.

The Indian Woollen Mills' Federation has always played a key-role in projecting the problems and potentials of the woollen industry to the Government from time to time.
Federation is represented in all the important Committees of the Government of India and invariably consulted on all policy matters before presentation of the annual budget proposals.

The development of technical man-power resources for the woollen industry had always remained a top priority for the Federation. Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Wool Strategy Group of Western. Australia in 1996, Federation had initiated wool technology elective in the degree courses in textile technology in Universities of Mumbai, Kolkata, Rajasthan and Punjab.

The woollen industry in India presents a pertinent model of industrial development covering the organized, the decentralized and the rural sectors working complimentary to each other generating employment at highly diversified locations in the country.