Turning Wool into an Added Value Product

Nov 13, 2025 | Bioeconomy, Farm Viability

The REVEIRE (Regenerative Value Systems for Irish Grown Wool in Ireland) project kicked off on the 31st of March 2025 with funding for 3 years, under the EPA Research Programme 2021-2030. The EPA Research Programme is a Government of Ireland initiative funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The REVEIRE project is coordinated by University College Cork (UCC) in partnership with Munster Technological University (MTU), Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS), University of Ulster (UU), Teagasc (Athenry) and the Irish Grown Wool Council (IGWC)

Connecting low-impact food production with sustainable textiles or biobased materials, “creating value beyond the net zero goal of doing no harm” in a regenerative value system will be a true success story of a sustainable circular bioeconomy. Up until the turn of the 20th century, Ireland’s sheep not only produced meat, but supported widespread production of wool, a sustainable and biobased fibre in woollen mills. However, with the rise in synthetic textiles and lack of demand for woollen fibres worldwide, the industry declined, so did the appreciation and value of wool. Ireland produces in the region of 7 million kg’s of wool from approximately 4 million sheep, but wool in Ireland and, in fact, in the EU, is of very little value and is categorised as a Category 3 (low risk) waste material arising as animal by-product from sheep meat production. Due to the fall in wool prices and current lack of demand in markets for Irish grown wool, it has become challenging for Irish sheep farmers, particularly hill sheep farmers to manage.

Wool is a renewable biomaterial, opportune management, and use of which can result in sustainable production of both food (such as sheep meat) and biomaterials (wool as bio-based textile/ packaging/ construction material). This project, by undertaking a comprehensive sustainability assessment of Irish grown wool, will provide data and evidence to inform Government policies, initiatives and investments required for regenerating the Irish grown wool industry for a sustainable circular bioeconomy. The outcome of this project will provide an essential building block that will enable wool to evolve from a waste farm product with negative return on investment, re-establishing the wool sector in Ireland in a sustainable and fit-for-purpose model benefiting all stakeholders along the value chain.

For more information on the REVEIRE project, contact archishman.bose@ucc.ie

To learn more about the Irish bioeconomy, click here.

Related Articles

CAP Network Ireland
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.