Materials and Textiles Research.
High-quality wool is resold to textile companies where the wool is subsequently processed and fibers insufficient for fiber production are removed from it - the first high-quality wool waste. Wool of sheep bred primarily for the production of milk and meat does not meet the parameters for the fashion industry. This wool kind is looking for a purpose and a way to recycle it.
This is becoming a common issue in European countries. For small local farmers especially who have to accumulate wool every year in order to be able to sell it to companies. Because no special type of waste wool recycling has been developed.
An important element of research is to define the value of each type of wool without assessing its quality, type, properties or future purpose. The difference or origin between the fibers thus becomes irrelevant. It is much more important to find a new way to refine it instead of judging it. Create a new value of wool as high-quality material.
Wool Fibers
Sheep raised primarily for food is a source of “poor” quality wool. Their wool is treated as an excess material that can be sold below price or cannot be sold to any company at all.
The conceptual idea of wool waste has started with researching yarn production and post-process material recycling. During this parallel work of knitwear, an issue of wool waste was explored. The research was developed in Slovakia and the Czech Republic to investigate local wool waste and later it was moved to the Spanish context. After visiting a local farmer in the north of Madrid and previous experiences from the home environment I discovered a large amount of wool waste. However, it is not impossible to refine the wool in the conditions available to farmers.
