Tag: Wool

Of Interest: EU CAP Network Focus Group – European Wool Report and 6 Mini Papers

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Close-up of sheep's faces with a focus on their features, accompanied by text discussing the EU CAP Network report on sustainable farming practices in the European wool value chain.

Via European Wool Exchange (EWE) Foundation’s Instagram:

“The final report of the EU CAP Network Focus Group, ‘Innovative and sustainable ways to strengthen the role of farmers in revitalising the European wool value chain ‘, is out.

Five strategic priorities run through the report: investment in infrastructure, stronger skills and training, a clearer identity for European wool through traceability and communication, support for innovation in both traditional and new applications, and stronger networking across Europe. Taken together, the findings show that European wool is still underused and undervalued, yet offers significant untapped opportunities for rural development, the circular bioeconomy, and resilient farming systems. Coordinated action is now needed to realise this potential in the future.”

There are also six so-called ‘Mini Papers’ (MP) to complement the report:

  • MP 1: A better market for European wool through certifications, traceability, and marketing tools
  • MP 2: Wool as an animal by-product: challenges and opportunities
  • MP 3: Wool improvement initiative: Collection, cooperation, and education
  • MP 4: European wool industry: history, current context, and future foundations
  • MP 5: Innovative uses of wool to support sheep farmers in the EU
  • MP 6: State of the art of the wool value chain in Europe

Here’s a link to the main report: https://eu-cap-network.ec.europa.eu/focus-groups-innovation-knowledge-exchange-and-eip-agri/focus-group-innovative-and-sustainable-ways-strengthen-role-farmers-revitalising-european-wool_en

The six Mini Papers are linked at the bottom of the above page.

Instagram: @ewe_foundation__


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Of Interest: 450 km Wool March – from Texel NL to European Parliament in Brussels

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Shepherds and sheep flocks are an indispensable to biodiversity and the preservation of our natural landscapes. But they are often overlooked.

To raise awareness for shepherds and sheep flocks, a group of advocates has organised a 53-day Wool March, from Texel in the Netherlands to the European Parliament in Brussels. The March will be rally style:

“No sheep or shepherd <will> walk the entire route! We pass the hook from shepherd to shepherd, flock to flock creating a line of support for this ecological, cultural and social importance of this overlooked system”.

The walk starts on Saturday, the 22nd of August in Texel, Netherlands and arrives in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday the 13th of October 2026.

For more information, visit the Wool March website: https://www.woolmarch.com/

Their Instagram: @woolmarch @international_wool


Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

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Of Interest: “Notes from Sheepland” – Film Screening in Tallaght – Co Dublin

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On Thursday, the 30th of July, there will be a screening of the film Notes From Sheepland (2024), directed by Cara Holmes.

“Orla Barry is a hard-working, lipstick-wearing sheep farmer in rural Wexford. She is a self-confessed ovine addict. A decade in sheep, she’s still wondering what possessed her to start, but yet she wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

Orla lived in Brussels for 16 years and now lives and works in South East Ireland where she runs a flock of pedigree Lleyn sheep. Her work deals with the tensions of being an artist and an eco-farmer in rural Ireland. The sheep have slowed her art career but at the same time, caring for them has hugely inspired it. She escapes the studio by going to the sheep, escapes the sheep by hiding in her studio.

Notes From Sheepland follows Orla, an outlier, as she floats between these worlds. It reflects upon the primal, poetic and unpredictable bond she has with the natural world.

This screening forms part of Rua Red’s Learning and Engagement programme for Orla Barry’s exhibition The Collie, The Cheviot & the Crouched Skeleton, which runs from July 10th – September 26th in Rua Red Gallery.”

€3 per ticket, popcorn included.

When: Thursday, the 30th of July, 6-7:30 PM

Where: Rua Red, South Dublin Arts Centre, Tallaght, Dublin, D24 KV8N

To book a ticket, visit this website: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/ruarum-film-club-presents-notes-from-sheepland-tickets-1992510057218

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Of Interest: Wool in the News – Peatland Restoration – Antrim Hills

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A new peatland restoration trial at Slievenanee Mountain in the Antrim Hills is exploring whether locally sourced wool can help restore damaged blanket bog.

The initiative, led by Ulster Wildlife and Ulster Farmers’ Union, working alongside Sustainable Rope Ltd, Ulster Wool and Ulster University, is the largest trial of its kind in Northern Ireland to date. There are 60 ‘logs’ made from scoured local wool.

The project involves installing 60 “wool logs” in areas of exposed and eroded blanket bog. Made from scoured fleece compacted into wool textile sacks, the logs are designed to slow water flow, trap sediment, and support the re-establishment of peat-forming vegetation such as sphagnum moss.

Wool, as a material, has already shown promising results in peatland trials elsewhere in the UK, particularly at upland sites in Scotland and northern England, where it has been used to stabilise eroding peat and retain moisture.

UFU Peatlands officer Stephanie Clokey said, “Wool is a natural, biodegradable material and is a logical solution for peatland management. Here we’re helping to rebuild damaged areas by using materials that work with the landscape, while supporting local farmers and adding value to something that has recently often been treated as a waste product rather than a resource, while creating new opportunities for what is often an underused by-product of farming.”

To learn more about the project, visit their website – https://www.ulsterwildlife.org/news/local-wool-put-test-innovative-peatland-restoration-trial

@ulsterwildlife

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Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

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Of Interest: Second Printing of ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ Now Available in Libraries Across Ireland

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland
Cover of the book 'Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking' featuring a rural landscape with sheep and feltmaking materials. Text on the right announces 'Our Book is in the Library!' and shows a search result from Libraries Ireland with availability details.

We’re delighted to share that the second printing of ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ is now available through the library system in Ireland.

If you search your local library catalogue or visit the Libraries Ireland website, you’ll find that there are currently 20 copies in the system. Some are still on order and being processed, but you can reserve a copy and have it delivered directly to your local branch for collection.


You can find and reserve the book here: https://librariesireland.spydus.ie/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/FULL/WPAC/BIBENQ/754928726/80649840,1

Editor’s Note: You will need a valid library card to reserve the book.

Thank You to Our Supporters

Everyone at Feltmakers Ireland would like to extend heartfelt thanks to all of our wool-loving readers and supporters who have made this second printing possible.

We are especially grateful to artist and guild member Annika Berglund for being the book’s editor. She took on the complex and detailed work of establishing the wool breed testing subcommittee and organised the results into a cohesive, educational, and beautifully presented book.

Prefer to Own Your Own Copy?

If you’d like to add ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’ to your own textile book collection, you can purchase a copy directly from our website: https://feltmakersireland.com/exploring-irish-wool-for-feltmaking/


Whether you borrow it through your local library or keep a copy on your own shelf, we hope this book continues to inspire your exploration of Ireland’s rich and diverse wool heritage.

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: Irish Wool Almanac – Be Included

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A promotional image inviting contributions to the Irish Wool Almanac, featuring two sheep walking on a grassy path.

To celebrate European Wool Day and Women in Agriculture 2026, Future Island-Island is producing an Irish Grown Wool Almanac.

This will be a printed and digital directory celebrating the people and organisations shaping the wool landscape in the island of Ireland, and the journey from farm to fibre to finished work.

The almanac will be funded and published by Future Island-Island, an AHRC Green Transition Ecosystem research programme, in partnership with the Irish Grown Wool Council.

It will be distributed at the European Wool Day 2026 Conference in Tralee next month and shared online as part of Future Island-Island’s wider programme of activity.

To submit your listing, use the online form linked below. You will be prompted to share what you do, highlights of your contribution, and why Irish wool matters. There’s also a request for up to 3 high-quality images, plus your logo with captions and credits.

They aim to include as many listings as possible. If they receive more submissions than can fit in the printed almanac, they will select entries to ensure a balanced spread across both regions and the wool journey.

Deadline: 12 PM on Monday, the 16th February 2026.

To submit your information, use this online form – https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=h5QLb6hPqEKutL8uLCLU6ND3XSPTeK9Nr6Cw1hutJWdUQzEzVDQwVE5WWU45WU9UUVlaVENEVjE4Ny4u

Their Instagram @futureislandisland

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Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

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Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: Wool March in Tilburg, Netherlands – the 20th of December

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On Saturday, the 20th of December at noon, there will be a Wool March in Tilburg, Netherlands.

The Wool March is a growing movement that supports shepherding and the revaluing of wool by literally walking together. Each year, the organisers lead a march in which local shepherds guide their flocks—along with members of the public—to and from pasture. Past editions have been held in Tilburg, The Netherlands, and have been generously hosted by the TextielMuseum, which is an inspiring destination in itself. https://www.textielmuseum.nl/

Participants and supporters of the Wool March come from all walks of life, including farmers, felters, and fashion designers, as well as politicians, breeders, and biologists.

There will also be a Wool March to the European Parliament in September 2026. The group is selling ‘Wool Activist Kits’ that include felting instructions and raw Kempische Heideschaap fibre from sheep that graze the Dutch coastal dunes. These kits are to create a blanket to be worn (or sent) to the Brussels Wool March – https://www.woolmarch.com/wool-activist-kit

For more information and to register for the Wool March in December, visit the Wool March website – https://www.woolmarch.com/lets-walk/wool-march-tilburg-2025

Their Instagram: @woolmarch


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Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For content-related questions, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Event: Dutch Design Week – Wool (RE)Discovered

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A bit late, as it is happening NOW, but still of interest: Dutch Design Week has the theme of Wool (RE)Discovered!

The week-long event in Eindhoven, Netherlands, showcases wool’s regenerative potential and reimagines it as a dynamic, living material. From raw fleece in the hands of designers to workshops, demos, and mending sessions, and a variety of talks are scheduled throughout the week.

Dutch milliner and feltmaker Saar Snoek has a workshop on Thursday afternoon on how to felt a whimsical moustache: https://www.neworderoffashion.com/ddw-2025-program/workshop-make-your-own-moustache-using-alpaca-hair

There is a LIVESTREAM with discussions about wool here – https://www.neworderoffashion.com/wool-rediscovered-livestream

For more information about the week, visit the New Order of Fashion’s website – https://www.neworderoffashion.com/ddw-2025-program

Their Instagram @new_order_of_fashion

If you cannot attend in person, there’s an exciting video of the exhibition from visitor Elaine Markoutsas here – https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQBJUu5DXjE/?igsh=MXV1aDQ4cHB3bjQ5bw%3D%3D

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: World Wool Forum – Rome – the 4th of October

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The World Wool Forum is a gathering hosted by Li Edelkoort, Isabella Rossellini, and Ilaria Venturini Fendi, in partnership with Philip Fimmano, the World Hope Forum, and international industry supporters. The Forum unites global leaders from design, fashion, interiors, and textiles alongside farmers, innovators, and creative thinkers driving meaningful change for a more sustainable wool future.

This one-day conference serves as a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and vision-building, exploring the future of wool while safeguarding sheep farming traditions, animal welfare, and the rich heritage of craftsmanship.

Blátnaid Gallagher, founder of the Galway Wool Co-op, is one of the speakers.

When: The 4th of October, 2025

Where: Casali del Pino, Rome, Italy.

For more information, visit their website – https://www.edelkoort.us/webinars-events/the-world-wool-forum-oct4

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Of Interest: From Fleece to Garment – Co Mayo

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Explore the wonders of the world of wool. Creating sustainable clothing from wool is an ancient art. At this event, Fibreshed Ireland will share about how farmers can prepare their fleece to achieve better yields from their clip. There will be drop spindle lessons and spinning wheel demonstrations, as well as workshops in weaving, crochet, and knitting for both children and adults. There will also be demonstrations of wool carding and preparation, as well as a talk on natural dyes. Additionally, there will be a talk on Galway wool and Irish native breeds.

There will also be an exhibition of local photographs and a display of farm gates.

When: Sunday, the 17th of August, from 12 – 6 PM.

Where: Ballyhaunis Community Hall, Upper Main St, Carrownluggaun, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo, F35 Y337, Ireland.

For more information, visit the Heritage Ireland website – https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings/from-fleece-to-garment

Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog

Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.