SPRINGWOOL Project
A national research initiative to drive innovation, sustainability, and value in the Irish-grown wool sector, led by the Centre for Applied Bioscience Research (CABR) and Munster Technological University.
Project Title: Springwool: Removing Obstacles and Providing a Platform for Innovation in the Irish Wool Sector
Funding: €574,683 from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Timeframe: 2025–2028
About the SPRINGWOOL Project
SPRINGWOOL is a collaborative research project led by CABR and Munster Technological University (MTU), in partnership with Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), University College Dublin (UCD), and Atlantic Technological University (ATU).
The project aims to address the critical challenges facing the Irish wool sector, including low returns to farmers and environmental obstacles, by supporting key research into sustainable processing, innovative applications, and market development for Irish-grown wool. Research strands include treating wastewater from wool scouring, repurposing waste wool for compost, and extracting valuable compounds for use in cosmetics and healthcare.
The ultimate goal is to create a brighter, more competitive future for Ireland’s wool sector and ensure fairer returns for farmers.
Project Aims & Objectives
Remove barriers to innovation in the Irish-grown wool sector
Support sustainable and scalable wool processing, including feasibility of mobile scouring units
Develop new uses for waste wool, such as compost and extraction of ceramides/keratin
Enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of Irish wool in global markets
Life cycle assessment: evaluating the environmental impact of SPRINGWOOL technologies
Provide a fairer economic return to Irish wool producers
CABR Role in SPRINGWOOL Project
Leading the research coordination, scientific oversight, and stakeholder engagement for the SPRINGWOOL Project. Researchers at the Centre will work on extracting compounds from wool, testing these extracts on skin cell models, treating scouring wastewater, and validating a wool waste-based formulation. CABR Principal Investigators (PIs), Dr Joanna Tierney and Dr Peter Downey are involved in this project.
Contact Details
Project Leads:
Dr Tim Yeomans
Centre Manager, CABR
Munster Technological University (MTU)
Email: tim.yeomans@mtu.ie
Dr Emma Murphy
Research Fellow and Group Lead at the Bioengineering Research Group (Organ-on-Chip) at CABR
Technological University of the Shannon (TUS)
Email: emma.murphy@tus.ie
Leo Murray
RD&I Engineer
Atlantic Technological University (ATU)
Email: leo.murray@atu.ie
Dr Fionnuala Murphy
Associate Professor
University College Dublin (UCD)
Email: fionnuala.murphy@ucd.ie
Partners
Munster Technological University
Technological University of the Shannon
University College Dublin
Atlantic Technological University
Supported by the Irish Grown Wool Council and Wool Research Hub