WOOLMARKED Project
Determining limit levels for clean and safe wool to support innovation in wool scouring and processing.
Project Title: WOOLMARKED project (Defining limit levels for clean WOOL – Measurable Acceptable Residues & Key Environmental Definitions)
Funding: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)
Timeframe: 2027-2031
CABR Role in the Project: CABR is leading and coordinating the WOOLMARKED Project.
About the WOOLMARKED Project
WOOLMARKED project, which is a collaboration between CABR, MTU and University College Cork (UCC), addresses the lack of standardised criteria and a definition of “clean” wool suitable for textile, packaging, construction, and other applications. Washing (scouring) wool is an essential step in converting raw wool after shearing into clean wool suitable for use. Raw wool typically contains suint, dirt, soil, vegetable matter, pesticides, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. At present, all wool is cleaned in the same way, and the wool at the end of this process is essentially sterilised.
The project will review risks associated with unscoured wool and determine limit levels for these risks consistent with ultimate use. It is likely that wool used for non-apparel applications such as insulation, composites, flooring and packaging does not need to be cleaned to the same levels as wool used for clothing. As the project progresses, wool scoured using novel and sustainable techniques will be measured against these limit levels. The resultant information and data will be presented to government, industry and regulators to inform policy.
The project is essential for an Irish scouring facility and will support independent processors who wish to scour their own wool in a regulated manner. The project may subsequently have impact at an EU level.
Project Aims & Objectives
Define limit levels for clean wool in the context of hazards associated with raw wool.
Structure limit levels that are use-specific (e.g. composites versus clothing).
Develop the ability to implement innovative and sustainable scouring methods, opening up the wool market.
Reduce the costs of wool destined for non-textile applications, such as composites, due to reduced processing.
CABR Role in SPRINGWOOL Project
CABR is leading and coordinating the WOOLMARKED Project.
Project Team
Dr Tim Yeomans, Centre Manager at CABR, MTU, leads the WOOLMARKED Project. The project is co-led by Dr Archishman Bose, Eli Lilly Lecturer in Process and Chemical Engineering at University College Cork (UCC), Affiliate Principal Investigator at the Environmental Research Institute, and researcher with the MaREI Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine.
The supervisory team also includes Dr Patrick Quille (Research Scientist & Principal Investigator) and Dr Tracey O’Connor (Senior Researcher, CircBio Research Group at CABR).
For project enquiries, please contact Dr Tim Yeomans (tim.yeomans@mtu.ie).
Project Partners
The project is a collaboration between the Centre for Applied Bioscience Research (CABR), Munster Technological University (MTU), and University College Cork (UCC).
