The Swedish Wool Initiative

Purpose and goal:

In The Swedish Wool Initiative, stakeholders collaborated to develop the Swedish Wool Standard, aiming for high-quality raw material and a common language for trade. Innovative products from underutilized Swedish wool, alongside a design guide, drive the shift towards a more sustainable, circular textile industry. Participating companies have multiplied their purchasing volumes of Swedish wool, and the project has demonstrated traceability from wool brokers to the finished product.

Expected results and effects:

The project has successfully contributed to a climate-neutral and circular economy by developing products from underutilized Swedish wool. A resource-efficient value chain has been strengthened with the Swedish Wool Standard - common working methods and a national classification system. Participating companies have significantly increased their purchases of Swedish wool and plan to continue doing so after the project.

Enhanced collaboration, educational materials, and ongoing dissemination promote a socially sustainable, circular textile industry. Approach and implementation:

The project, that has been performed collaboratively with stakeholders across the value chain, aimed at enhancing capacities for mutual benefit. The diversity of stakeholders was both a major success and a challenge, fostering innovative solutions with widespread support and increased collaboration between actors in the value chain. However, it also posed coordination, communication, and goal conflict challenges during the project.