Cut Styrofoam Packing Out by Using Wool

Have you ever been on a weekend drive and found some place that is really unique, fun; some place you want to keep a secret?

The Australians are leading the way to use cast-off wool pieces to keep plastics out of the oceans!

This interesting video highlights a company in New South Wales, Australia that has created highly effective packaging that is also sustainable and reusable.

A quick google search found several other companies using wool for packing materials - Woola, Woolcool, and Puffin Packaging. Interestingly, these companies were all started in EU member countries.  Kudos to the EU for their 2008 directive on reducing Packaging Waste!

There are many ways to improve eco-friendly packaging but the one we’re most interested in is using cast-off wool that we already have but can’t utilize because it is too short to be cost effective for processing and eventually using for clothes, rugs, or crafts.

As a sheep farmer, we understand weighing the cost of cleaning & processing a fleece versus what price we can expect to sell it for before we even begin to work the wool into batts, roving, and yarn. To find a new market for the underused wool would be a game changer for sheep farmers around the world!

If you hear of any companies in the United States that are exploring using wool for thermal packaging, please let us know!