28 March 2026

TRALEE (IRELAND)

Watch on youtube

6th EUROPEAN WOOL DAY

European Wool Day 2026 brought together a diverse network of stakeholders from across the wool value chain, creating a platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and exploring new applications, partnerships and pathways for wool. The event combined a sold-out conference with a public-facing programme, strengthening engagement between industry and community.

Program

Key themes

  • Wool in the circular bioeconomy
  • Innovation and new applications
  • Policy and classification challenges
  • Rural development and value chain strengthening
  • Wool in health and wellbeing

Programme & Content

  • 30+ speakers and contributors
  • 2 panel discussions addressing policy and value chain development
  • International case studies and research presentations
  • Public programme with 35+ exhibitors, demonstrations, and workshops

Attendance & Reach

  • 200+ exhibitors and conference delegates (sold out)
  • 100+ additional on waiting list
  • 1,000+ public visitors to the European Wool Experience
  • Representation from 10+ European countries including Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Sweden and the UK plus Armenia, Canada and New-Zealand
CHECK THE DEDICATED PAGE

Replay by speaker/presenter/talk

  • Welcome Address by Alberto Costa MD (EWE Foundation) ( 0:00:29) and Maria Walsh MEP ( 0:04:14)
  • Overview of the Irish Grown Wool Council by Catherine Phibbs (Irish Grown Wool Council) ( 0:14:00)
  • Springwool Research Project by Tielidy Lima (Centre for Applied Bioscience Research, Technological University of the Shannon) (0:23:30)
  • REVEIRE Research Project by Archishman Bose (University College Cork) (0:32:45)
  • Wool Value Chains Cooperation: The Pillar of Future Wool Economies by Mariana Anacleto, Netherlands ( 0:43:05)
  • Making all Dutch Wool Available for the Sustainable Future of the Industry by Hollands Wol Collectief ( 0:53:26)
  • Swedish Wool Initiative: Re-establishing a Swedish Wool Industry by Johan Sidenmark (AX Foundation) and Helena Holmquist (Wool Rebel) ( 0:58:59)
  • Preliminary findings of the Focus Group ’Innovative and Sustainable Ways to Strengthen the Role of Farmers in Revitalising the European Wool Value Chain’ by Szabolcs Vágó (EU CAP Network and the Support Facility on Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (EIP AGRI)) ( 1:17:52)
  • Block-chaining the Armenian Wool Value Chain by Ani Mkrtchyan, (Arm.wool, Armenia) ( 1:31:51)
  • Increasing European Clip Value on the Farm by Nigel Thompson (European Wool Association ( 1:37:51)
  • Focus Areas of the International Wool Textile Organisation’s European Wool Task Team by Andrew Hogley (British Wool) ( 1:56:31)

Wool Initiatives ( 2:58:56)

  • Presenting the Work of the Circular Bioeconomy Cluster by Michael Noctor (Circular Bioeconomy Cluster) ( 3:00:55)
  • Wool in Ecological Restoration by Sinéad Grimes (The Dúlra Project, Forum Connemara) and Lorna Kelly (Wicklow Uplands Council) ( 3:08:22)
  • From Fibre to Marine Use – Developing a Sustainable Wool Rope for the Kelp Industry by Kate Drury (Sustainable Rope, UK) ( 3:22:20)
  • Future Island-Island and the Story of Rathlin Island Wool by Alison Gault (Ulster University) ( 3:30:45)
  • Wool is Cool by Ana Žunić (Association for Environmental Protection, Promotion of Ecological Production and Sustainable Development, Croatia) ( 3:43:45)
  • Small Scale Fibre Processing in Rural Communities by Andrew Carpenter (Belfast Mini Mills, Canada) ( 3:50:50)

Woollen Yarn and Textiles

  • From Farm to Yarn by Zoë Daly (Ériu) ( 4:40:35)
  • Our Irish Wool Journey by Aoife McNamara (Aoife McNamara) ( 4:56:03)
  • Epirus Wool by Lena Gerothanasis (Pokari Project, Greece) ( 5:05:15)
  • Textiles for Liberation by Malú Colorin (Fibreshed Ireland) ( 5:13:44)
  • Book Review: Four Red Sweaters – Fragments of Memory by Lucy Adlington (UK) ( 5:22:54)

Wool4Health ( 5:33:25)

  • Therapeutic Knitting at the Donna Health Care, Cyprus: A complementary approach to patient care by Evi Skoufari, (Donna Health Care, Cyprus) ( 5:35:27)
  • Textile Practices in Psychiatric Care: Exploring Wool as a Therapeutic Addition by Ninoslav Mimica MD (University Psychiatric Hospital “Vrapče”, Croatia) ( 5:49:40)
  • Gomitolorosa4arts, a Creative Way to Give a Second Life to Native Italian Wool by Ivana Appolloni (Gomitolorosa, Italy) ( 5:57:00)
  • Launch of the European Wool4Health Awards 2026 by Marisa Arosa (Portugal) and Concha Rey Mejias (EWE Foundation, Spain) ( 6:10:30)
  • Irish Grown Wool Almanac Launch and closing by Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP ( 6:14:10)

PANEL DISCUSSIONS

Panel Discussion “From Farm to Framework: The Role of Policy in Wool’s Future” ( 2:15:35)

  • Maria Walsh MEP
  • Angela Hassan-Sharp (New Zealand Ambassador to Ireland)
  • Sandra Spethmann (Curraghmore Farm and Wise Wool Project)
  • Patrick Temple (Magee Weaving)
  • Moderator: Tim Yeomans (Centre for Applied Bioscience Research)

Panel Discussion: “From Source to Consumer: Building Value in Wool” ( 3:57:30)

  • Joan Lucey (Yarn Vibes)
  • Kevin Dooley (Dooley’s Wool)
  • Christine de Vries (House of Kerry)
  • Dinny Galvin, (Sheep Farmer & Dingle Hub)
  • Moderator: Alison Gault (Ulster University)