Key facts
Sectors covered: Technological innovation in textiles and clothing
Innovation priority: Circular economy and resource efficiency
Start: September 2021
ELIIT funding: €70 000
Coarse wool from the European dairy and meat industry is currently seen as a valueless by-product. It is of little interest to the textile industry, neither for clothing nor for interior design products, and must be disposed of at a high cost to small breeders.
To avoid these costs, coarse wool is often left to sink into the soil illegally with manure instead of being placed in a landfill. More frequently, it is burnt, producing dangerous air and soil pollution. Annual shearing, which is necessary for the well-being of sheep, produces 1.5-3 kg of coarse wool per animal, amounting to over 200 000 tonnes in Europe in total.
It is possible to process coarse wool, as there are still a few washing and carding units left in Belgium, France, Germany and Italy. However, the end product needs to be of high value to make the supply chain economically sustainable.
An attractive, industrially manufactured end-product with a modular design allowing a high degree of customisation would make it possible to use a large quantity of this wool and guarantee the commercial viability of a sustainable, circular resource.
What's the goal?
Lottozero is based in the textile district of Prato, Italy. Many of the sheep that produce coarse wool are bred within a 100-km radius of its headquarters. It is surrounded by 8 000 businesses working in the area’s textile and fashion cluster.
Casalis is a Belgian company that has been producing interior textiles for decades.
As part of the Circular Wool project, these two companies have come together around a shared vision of giving new life to wasted raw material. They aim to transform coarse wool into material for industrially viable and commercially desirable products. High-impact design, creativity and automated processes will add value.
Key challenges
With its extensive network and know-how, Lottozero has the challenge of streamlining the raw material value chain and consolidating the supply chain. This includes building relationships with breeders to raise awareness that higher animal welfare standards result in higher-quality fibres.
Casalis provides the project’s advanced robotic carpet-making technology and technical feedback on semi-finished products. It has the task of producing prototypes to study interactions between raw material, designs and finishings. It also performs quality testing of the prototypes, including testing the compatibility of yarns and machines.
How has ELIIT helped?
The most critical impact of ELIIT support has been enabling the partners to organise the project in a way that has made work much simpler at every step. It has also given them a better understanding of how their idea can impact the market and how they should position themselves.
In addition, this support has helped motivate Lottozero and Casalis and keep them on track with the work, as well as enabling them to see things in a new light.
Meet the partners
SME: Lottozero società cooperativa sociale
Country: Italy
Founded: 2016
Tech provider: Casalis BVBA
Country: Belgium
Founded: 2020