Fashion – Enter Wales: Desk Top Research with Wool and the Novelle Yarn #1

As we progress into the second week of the four month feasibility study with SMARTCryum the team, at both London and Wales, have been undertaking desk top research. This has been to review the work that has taken place to emulate best practices and also ensure that there is no duplication of effort within the fashion sector. 

The properties of wool are well documented:

• Highly Breathable, wool garments are naturally breathable down to the fibre level
• Wool keeps you dry
• Wool doesn’t stink!
• Warm even when wet
• Excellent temperature regulation
• High warmth to weight ratio
• Soft skin feel, not itchy
• A natural, renewable and biodegradable fiber

However, not many people realise that the once thriving wool trade of Wales is no longer. For centuries Wales has been known for its wool, which was shipped throughout the world. Today, after a sharp five-year decline in Welsh wool, Brexit, plus 2-years of the Covid pandemic the wool industry in Wales is at its lowest ebb. Wool prices fell from around £1 per kilo pre-Covid to just 50p, a cost that just isn’t financially viable and resulted in fleeces being composted or burned.

This particular plight has also been highlighted by Fashion Roundtable and recently CEO Jenny Holloway contacted Founder and CEO Tamara Cincik to see how resources could be pooled together to work as one and the following strategy and report was compiled:

Fashion Roundtable – Wool Regeneration Strategy

Fashion Roundtable – Impact Report 2021

Fashion-Enter has contacted Elite Clothing Solutions and Treorchy Sewing Enterprise and presented this PowerPoint for evolving sustainability in Wales.

Finally Fashion-Enter Ltd contacted Philip Keenan who is the Business Development Manager of University of Cambridge Enterprise. 

Philip joined Cambridge Enterprise in November 2012, and is responsible for business development for the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction (CSIC) portfolio of research projects, transferring technology and knowledge to UK companies for global exploitation. 

Prior to this role Philip held a variety of technology management positions with IBM, Hewlett Packard, and a series of SMEs. During 2010-2011 he was Cambridge Enterprise’s Nanoscience Manager. During this time Philip invented and developed a working prototype of a solid state aerosol and particle sensor for volcanic ash sensing which led to further research funding by a major airline to take the sensor into commercial use in passenger aircraft.

Philip has a bachelors degree in Materials Science from the University of Sheffield, a Masters degree in Business from Dublin City University and is a Chartered Engineer. He is listed as inventor in over 20 patents ranging from sensors and inkjet print heads to 3D printing technologies

Philip is currently away but is keen to engage on how we can develop the wool fibre further and how blends can used in conjunction with this amazing staple yarn. 

More desktop research on this sustainable project with Potter Group and SMARTCymru to follow soon!