The five major steps in processing worsted yarn are:

Scouring:
A washing process which removes the dust, suint (sweat) and wool wax.
Carding:
Rollers covered with teeth tease apart the staples of wool, laying the fibres nearly parallel, to form a soft rope called a sliver
Combing:
The comb separates short from long fibres, ensuring that the long fibres are laid parallel, to produce a combed sliver called top.
Drawing:
Several tops are drawn out into the thickness of one, to thoroughly blend the wool and ensure evenness or regularity of the resulting roving.
Finisher Drawing:
Reduces the roving thickness to suit the spinning operation and further improve evenness.
Spinning:
Insertion of twist into the yarn in order to give strength to the finished yarn.

In the woollen process the wool, after carding, passes through condensers which separates the web into pre-determined weight strands called slubbing or condensing. Spinning frames draw these slubbing or condensing out to the required fineness of yarn and insert twist to form the yarn.

Worsted fabrics, both woven and knitted, are often more expensive than woollen spun products due to the longer raw material to resultant yarn processing route used. Worsted fabric wears better than a woollen spun fabric of equivalent weave construction and fabric weight. For example: Worsted fabrics are preferred for trouserings, suitings, other garments and upholstery fabrics where a smooth finish is required. Woollen spun fabrics are used for jackets, coats, skirts, upholstery fabrics, rugs and blankets where bulk and textured finishes are desirable.