Concept | Woolbridge¶
using traditional fibers with today’s innovation to develop tomorrow’s materials.
HOW MIGHT WE....
- Think about wool as a technical fiber in a consumer product
- So that the wool ecosystem becomes sustainable as an economic activity.
Experiment with the Thônes & Marthod wool to test its performance in industrial applications such as acoustic panels, insulation or directly in hiking garments.
5 Ws who, what, when, where, why¶
who¶
WOOLSHED ECOSYSTEM
- Build onto existing resources like the wool library, reports and data.
- Find new ways of connecting the parties to improve collaboration.
LOCAL COMMUNITY
- Involve people in the local sustainable fashion scene, hiking groups, artisans and crafts people who would otherwise not be aware.
OTHER PARTNERS For collaboration (TBC) or reference
- The Newmaterialist
- Partner Universities for testing
- Naige
- Local fairs and government programs.
what¶
Explore the performance of the Thônes & Marthod wool through material testing, sample preparation, and small-scale prototyping for the construction industry and performance sportswear.
when¶
January - April during Fabricademy timeline. Other initiatives and finidings will be shared with Woolshed for future ideation and implementation.
where¶
- French Alps: Lyon, Annecy other surrounding areas for research, learning, and meeting people/partners from the Woolshed ecosystem.
- Le Textile Lab Lyon for development and testing
why¶
WOOL AS A WASTED RESOURCE
- 8 tons of wasted wool in the region.
- Currently not being used by the fashion industry because of the coarseness of the wool
EXISTING DEMAND FOR CONSTRUCTION
- Acoustic and insulation panels industry worth 21.03 billion USD in 2024 in EuropeNot in contact with the skin.
- Has better performance and lower cost than fine wool.
THRIVING HIKING LOCAL SCENE
- Existing material developed by partners could replace polyester in techwear.
- Hydrophobic coatings in gear contain harmful chemicals that end up in the environment.
References projects, research papers, expos, performances etc¶
- Fabricademy Alumni - Paulina Serra for her TRESS TONE project, she used human hair with biomaterials to create soundproofing panels.
Credit: Paulina Serra
- EHØ acoustic panels by TO DO Product design. "This hybrid solution effectively reduces noise level thanks to its inner construction and eliminates reverberation by its surface geometry."
Credit: TO DO Product Design
- ParaSonic modular acoustic panels by Noa Abramovitz - uses wool as the main material.
Credit: Noa Abramovitz
Research papers for reference
- Acoustic and thermal performances assessment of sustainable insulation panels made from cardboard waste and natural fibers
- Research and Evaluation of Acoustic Panels from Clothing Industry Waste
- Acoustic Performance of Sound Absorbing Materials Produced from Wool of Local Mountain Sheep
- The Influence of Physical Properties and Increasing Woven Fabric Layers on the Noise Absorption Capacity
- The Influence of Yarn and Weave Structures on Acoustic Materials and the Effect of Different Acoustic Signal Incidence Angles on Woven Fabric Absorption Possibilities
- Chemical and physical characteristics and toxicology of man-made mineral fibers
- Effect of Blend Composition on Barrier Properties of Insulating Mats Produced from Local Wool and Waste Bast Fibres
- Environmentally-friendly thermal and acoustic insulation materials from recycled textiles
- Dog Wool Microparticles/Polyurethane Composite for Thermal Insulation
- Exploring the Potential Applications of Wool Fibers in Composite Materials: A Review
Moodboard¶
Collect images to give insight in your vision: colors, shapes, sounds, images, words..
