The Wool Wire | August 6, 2026
Recycling for search and rescue; Hungary joins the pellet bandwagon; prices rise in Northern Ireland, Britain, New Zealand; Woolroom wins; strongwool colors for 3D printing
News snippets from the wool world
Hello, my friends,
Activewear is the fastest growing market segment right now—and one in which wool has been enjoying a strong rebirth. Barring a few items from Simply Merino, Merino Country, and Smitten Merino, the vast majority of wool activewear on the market contains a soupçon of petroleum-derived fibers such as nylon, lycra, spandex, or elastane. And at some point over its lifetime, the tender jersey fabric in those garments is going to lose its je ne sais quoi.
The natural solution would be to bundle up the worn warriors and give them to Goodwill...until we remember that between 10 and 50 percent of our donations never make it into the store. Instead, they get bundled into bales and sold in bulk to salvage dealers or textile recyclers.
But that's good wool! we cry in unison. Can't it be saved?
Indeed, yes. We now have another destination for those gently worn wool base layers, one that will help save lives: head-to-toe hypothermia kits for search-and-rescue groups across the United States and Canada.
The project is being spearheaded by outdoor retailer Minus33, which has been donating its own wool base layer seconds to search and rescue organizations since 2017. But need is now outpacing supply. If you live in the contiguous United States and would like to participate, you can fill out a form on their website and they'll send you a pre-paid mailing envelope for your donations. In return for your help, Minus33 will give you a 25% discount code on your next purchase. (Usual disclaimer: I have no affiliation with the company, I'm just excited about the program.)
Hungarian Soil is Hungry for Wool
Signs of regional wool movements continue to crop up around the world. This time we're in Hungary, where soil management engineer Andrea Veres is striving to bring wool pelletizing equipment into the agricultural system.
She sits down with former president János Áder to explain where she first heard of pellets and her vision for what they can do for Hungary. (The interview is in Hungarian, but YouTube offers translated closed captioning.)
Teamwork for the Win in Northern Ireland
We have good news coming out of Northern Ireland, where the Ulster Wool collective has obtained the highest price in a decade for its 2025 clip at auction—at a 70% increase per kilo over what members got the previous year.
With around 3,000 sheep farmers working together through Ulster Wool, the strength of collective selling continues to play a central role in securing improved returns for wool. Higher volumes not only strengthen auction competition but also reduce Ulster Wool’s operating costs per kilogram, benefiting all members.
Demand is also being driven through supply chain development and marketing initiatives. Ulster Wool partner British Wool now works with over 180 licensees, and consumer awareness continues to grow. Sales of fully traceable wool have increased again over the last year, with buyers paying a premium over and above auction prices.
A similar story is playing out across Britain, where wool prices have also hit the highest level in a decade.
The organisation added that growing consumer interest in traceable and sustainable fibres was also supporting demand.
FarmingUK Team
Woolroom Wins Again
Speaking of signs of growing consumer interest, the British bedding manufacturer Woolroom has just won its second King's Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category. The award is for its outstanding growth in overseas sales over the last three years. (Of course, it was called the Queen's Award the first time they won.)
Woolroom’s growth has been driven largely by the US and Canada, supported by a growing North American team and distribution hubs in both markets, bringing products closer to customers .... Overseas sales have increased by more than 130% in three years, as Woolroom has invested in digital marketing, logistics and in-market expertise to meet growing demand for more sustainable sleep solutions.
I'm encouraged to see more people invest in a healthy night's sleep. This particular award also underscores the fact that an excellent product is often only part of the equation. You also need to have solid digital marketing and logistics expertise to get the product out there. Woolroom has been very good at this.
BedTimes Staff
New Zealand Keeps Going Strong
New Zealand's government has been helping fund a multi-year R&D effort to find new markets to strengthen the country's flagging strongwool producers—and it shows. Despite a continued decline in overall wool output, the value of New Zealand's strongwool clip has doubled over the past four years.
Much of the growth has been fueled by non-garment applications including carpets, bedding, insulation, and acoustic paneling.
Wool Impact chief executive Andy Caughey said the sector is now showing clear signs of change with a renewed sense that wool can once again play an important role in on-farm returns.
Annette Scott
Color Me Curious
If you thought carpets, bedding, insulation, and acoustic paneling were the highest realms of strongwool innovation, wait until you hear this last bit. We're still in New Zealand, where 3D printing filament manufacturer KiwiFil has teamed up with biobased pigment innovator Wool Source.
Together, they've created the world's first commercial 3D printing filament that uses wool-derived pigments in place of those derived from fossil fuels and synthetic chemicals.
The colour source comes from Wool Source Pigments, an alternative to standard pigments with 92-98% biobased carbon content, meaning the carbon is almost entirely derived from a renewable, natural source.
Pretty cool, right?
Staff Reporters
On that note, I'll let you go.
Thanks, as always, for your readership and your support.
Until next time,
Clara
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