Just as Irish wool growers face challenges, farmers in other parts of Europe face similar challenges in finding markets for their fibre. The Arena Swedish Wool Economic Association was formed in September 2022.
They aim to promote the members’ interests, contribute to strengthening cooperation for Swedish wool, and work to increase its use.
They have information about standardising wool sorting by quality versus breed.
“This means that wool from different farms and breeds, but with similar properties and uses, can be combined into larger quantities. The hope is that more Swedish sheep owners will receive a provision for all wool and increase their income.”
Via the stimulating Material Matters podcast, we learned about Christien Meindertsma‘s work with wool. She is a Dutch artist/designer who explores creative applications with two local materials: wool and flax. Amazingly, using ‘waste’ wool from sheep raised in the city of Rotterdam, she manages to print three-dimensional forms using cutting-edge technology.
Currently, she has an exhibition, ‘Re-forming Waste,’ at the V&A in London, which runs through Saturday, the 19th of October, 2024.
Meindertsma’s website catalogues her many thought-provoking explorations of wool. One of her research projects, Fibre Market, used a Fibersort machine to scan 1000 wool sweaters. The machine revealed differences between the information indicated on the material tags and the actual fibre content. Not unsurprisingly, the actual wool content was less.
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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The Fourth Annual European Wool Day will be held in Greece on April 9th, from 2:30 to 7:30 Central European Time. This year’s theme is ‘New Routes of Wool towards a Sustainable Future’.
WoolinSchool will present as part of the Wool in Education section at approximately 18:30 CEST.
Local programs will run from 6th to 7th April 2024 as part of the Celebrating Wool Weekend, so you are more than welcome to attend in person and enjoy the series of workshops, exhibitions, lectures, and roundtable discussions taking place locally in Metsovo, Greece.
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.
Irish wool has been the subject of two news articles in recent weeks.
The Dáil recently deliberated on the potential of Ireland’s wool industry, recognizing the need to explore new markets for the product. Pippa Hackett, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), said: “In one sense, the world is our oyster when it comes to wool”.
Ten months following its establishment, the Irish Grown Wool Council convened its inaugural Annual General Meeting at the Athlone Springs Hotel on Friday, February 16th, 2024.
The Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador, through the provincial Year of the Arts initiative, has the pleasure to announce the Made in Canada: Sustainable Fibre Arts Conference 2024. This conference will feature workshops by fibre artists from around Canada and offer panels and workshops on sustainable harvesting and crafting practices.
There are several wool-related events. Among the sessions are working towards a regenerated wool fibre industry and heritage-based circular economies within the province, along with a hands-on event on processing raw wool, flax and nettle into useable fibre for spinning or other fibre craft.
Among the workshops offered will be foraged plant fibre weaving, animal hide tanning, papermaking with recycled textiles and flax fibre, and block printing with natural dye mordants.
Where: Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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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Today, the 3rd of November, is the last day for the public to have their say on the future of the Kilmainham Mill, which is the last remaining, largely unaltered, early 19th century flour mill in Dublin. It is probably the last remaining fulling (cloth shrinking) mill in Ireland. It is a protected structure on the Record of Protected Structures, and it is now in the ownership of Dublin City Council.
The Council wants to develop a vision to underpin the medium and long-term use of the Mill. Please contribute your opinion. It is not a long survey and is easy to fill out. The survey will ask for your name and email, but your response will be anonymous. Please participate.
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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The Irish Grown Wool Council, established in April 2023, will be hosting a marquee at the Dingle Food Festival this Saturday, the 30th and Sunday the 1st, in association with local Primary Producer Farmers.
They would like a member of Feltmakers Ireland to demonstrate feltmaking to the Food Festival’s visitors. They will also be selling copies of the Guild’s recently published book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’. {See the bottom of this post for contact details}.
The Irish Grown Wool Council’s VISION is: “Bringing Wool stakeholders across the Island of Ireland together to realise the potential of wool as a natural, sustainable and versatile material, by building on its rich heritage, enhancing understanding and appreciation of the characteristics of Irish Grown Wool, facilitating collaboration in product/market research and ultimately applying innovative product solutions to address current challenges and create future opportunities.”
The Wool Council will have various displays on wool products ranging from beautiful textiles handcrafted by local artists, right through to Wool Insulation, which is made using waste wool as part of our circular bio-economy drive under our sustainability slogan – “Waste is a resource in the correct hands”.
The Dingle Hub, represented by Dinny Galvin, will be doing a display and talk on how, if we had a Biodigester on the Dingle Peninsula or elsewhere in Kerry Irish wool could be scoured locally at scale. Wastewater from washing could be a valuable feedstock for the Biodigester. The UCC team investigating the use of wastewater from a mooted local scouring plant in a biodigester will also attend.
If you are in Dingle for the food festival, call in at the marquee to see our products and meet the makers. Stay for a discussion on how we may develop the wool industry and hopefully get farmers a better price for our wool.
The marquee (stall 56), is based in Orchard Lane, beside Jerry Kennedy Butchers.
For and on behalf of the Irish Grown Wool Council,
Feltmakers Ireland received this announcement and thought it may be of interest. We do not know the organisers.
Taking bookings for the International Sheepdog Trials 2023, which is being held in Blessington at Three Castle Farm on the 8th, 9th and 10th of September.
The world of sheepdog trialling may be unfamiliar to some, but The International Sheepdog Trial is known around the world as one of the largest events in the sheepdog calendar. The event will attract a global audience and is hoped to give a significant boost to the local economy.
The International Sheepdog Trial 2023 is designed to test the best working dogs’ abilities in an environment close to true working life.
The event will showcase the talents of 60 dogs from across Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales. These 60 dogs will consist of the top 15 dogs selected from each nation’s National Trial, which will take place throughout July and August.
The International Sheep Dog Trial is the pinnacle in the sheep dog trialling calendar, and its venue rotates around the four nations yearly, with Ireland being lucky enough to be the host Nation for 2023.
It’s going to be a big event with a family day out, and as this trial attracts people from the continent, too, it should be a nice event for crafters. This event is only coming to the south of Ireland every 8 years.
All sorts of crafts are welcome. We love to get crafters with wool, as it is a sheepdog trial, and for crafters that have anything that has to do with sheep or sheepdogs in their creativity.
There is a trader application form to be filled out to ensure your spot. The price for a 3X3 place is 200 euro for the 3 days. (You have to bring your own marquee.)
Wool in School is a wool-inspired education company. They are committed to increasing the awareness of wool’s production and sustainable qualities in the school, home, and community environment. They sell colourful display boxes for classrooms containing fun, educational and creative resources, making it easy for teachers to integrate wool education into their curriculum. Additionally, they have kits for families.
They also have a wonderful fact page all about wool. Did you know that wool is UV resistant?
