Wednesday, January 8, 2025
When wool replaces bubble wrap
Woola launches in France a packaging made from sheep wool. Thermal insulation, shock resistance, and humidity control are among its qualities.
Thermic insulation, shock resistance, and humidity control are among its qualities.
Who would have believe it… in Estonia, 90% of the wool from sheep farming is burned or buried due to its quality, which makes it unsuitable for making sweaters or socks.
In Europe, the percentages range from 50 and 70% with a surplus equivalent to 200 000 tonnes annually.
“We find it hard to believe that this naturally abundant resource later becomes waste to dispose of,” Anna-Liisa Palatu, CEO of Woola, expresses her outrage.
It’s following this observation that this young woman, originally the owner of a clothing store, became interested in wool. Her idea ? Turning it into a protective material for transporting fragile items, replacing plastic.
“We launched our startup in 2020, after a meeting with the Estonian postal services who found the initiative interesting to replace bubble wrap in envelopes,” she recounts. It took some thinking.
In Europe, the percentages range from 50 and 70% with a surplus equivalent to 200 000 tonnes annually.
“We find it hard to believe that this naturally abundant resource later becomes waste to dispose of,” Anna-Liisa Palatu, CEO of Woola, expresses her outrage.
It’s following this observation that this young woman, originally the owner of a clothing store, became interested in wool. Her idea ? Turning it into a protective material for transporting fragile items, replacing plastic.
“We launched our startup in 2020, after a meeting with the Estonian postal services who found the initiative interesting to replace bubble wrap in envelopes,” she recounts. It took some thinking.