WOOL..
WHY DO WE LOVE IT SO MUCH?
Introducing the
WONDERS OF WOOL
Our founders and collaborators have worked with this wonder fibre for decades..
It’s the thing we do well.
From Farms to award winning Fashion and Design, we are passionate about opening up the Wool Circle, creating both transparency of provenance and added value all the way back to farm.
DID YOU KNOW..
THERE ARE OVER
70 BREEDS OF WELSH WOOL SHEEP
THE MOST DIVERSE IN THE WORLD
Grown by over 7000 farmers in Wales
35 million kg of wool are produced in the UK with 1/3 of it in Wales alone
Only 75% of their fleeces go to British Wool
A new fleece is grown every year and “clipped” by master shearers usually once a year in June .. this is part of sheep welfare and does not harm them
It is therefore a natural and abundantly sustainable resource
The average price of wool is less than 40p per kg of fleece
The average fleece weighs 2kg .. It costs £1.50 to shear each sheep
So farmers are losing money
Our work involves every stage from farm to finish, throughout our mapped circular wool supply chain with a goal of reflating the value and maximising the use of this abundant natural resource.. through our project initiatives and work with clients.
FACT SHEET
LESS THAN 1% OF TEXTILES ARE WOOL
Fashion is littered with plastic pretenders .. which are NOT WOOL .. most knitwear departments are made up of fake fibres which neither hold the wonders of wool or the provenance and natural brilliance of this sustainable fibre.
It simply does not perform as well as wool. Less than 20% of all fashion textiles are natural or recycled fibres .. and therefore unsustainable. We are working to reverse the trend and satisfy the appetite for change.
FACT SHEET
local industry has been in decline
The appetite for locally sourced products which has had a “good journey” is ever growing with consumers .. there is a renaissance afoot and we are part of the herd of mavericks who are opening our doors to change.
The welsh mills numbered around 300 at the turn of the century and now there are less than 5. However we have a strong renaissance afoot and a plethora of green tech and research to help deliver multiple targets for economic growth.
FROM FARM TO FINISH
NATURALLY CIRCULAR
WOOL IS NATURALLY CIRCULAR ..
It is not linear like plastic textiles with a manufactured start and throw away end ..
The F PROJECT
The F Project was researched, defined and created by our co-founder Jacqui Pearce. She identified 10+ stages of the natural circular model of WOOL .. all starting with the letter F.
A simple circular infographic model was then created to highlight each element and stage - from which further depth can be defined & explored
From Farm to Finish it helps visualise the provenance .. whilst mapping and communicating projects.
copyright J Pearce - please credit us and ask if you would like to learn more about our extension work / research into the circular supply chain
The natural properties of wool
PERFORMANCE
A natural wonder fibre .. it’s performance is well documented. From being fire retardant to hypoallergenic, it is an incredibly adaptable and miss understood and under used fibre.
We have open resources being built for members of the Welsh Wool Alliance (WWA) which can be used to help educate, empower and communicate these benefits.
Is it just about Textiles?
POTENTIAL
Whilst our work was founded in textiles, Wool performs in multiple forms. Our projects explore contemporary solutions and frameworks, whilst also developing and collaborating with new RDD which will support the Welsh Wool Economy.
Telling the story of land and journey
PROVENANCE
Transparency from Farm to Finish is at the heart of our own journey.. mindful of every stakeholder in the circle, we are working on standards to ensure our wool can be traced back to farm and curated for excellence to industry standards.
Not “WOOL WASHING” value .. but tangible real steps of change towards a fairer supportive system and wool circle.
The mark of excellence
PROTECTION
THE WOOL DRAGON . DRAIG WLAN
Rising from the historical archives to once again protect the wool and textiles of Wales.
Marks are an assurance and built on trust and traceability.. we are both mapping the circle and building frameworks to protect it.
Protecting the Farmer
Protecting the Journey
Protecting the Maker
Protecting the Customer
We have reworked and protected this historic mark for a new wool generation.
want to know more?
Why not join the Welsh Wool Alliance and access our resources and fellow wool lovers from Wales and beyond