Wool To Turf

Wool to Turf transforms low‑grade UK wool, especially Dag wool, into sustainable reinforcing mats for meadow turf. With our collaborators, Green Estate CIC and Fashion Roundtable, the project works to replace persistent plastic meshes used to reinforce turf with strong, biodegradable wool‑based materials instead. Aside from exploring the material intricacies of producing such a product, we will also map waste wool supply, build a UK‑centred supply chain, with an aim to support our rural economies.

Our research addresses the environmental, economic, and social challenges linked to low‑grade UK wool, much of which is burned or landfilled despite being a renewable resource. By converting Dag wool into biodegradable reinforcing mats for meadow turf, the project tackles plastic pollution in horticulture and supports soil health and biodiversity. It also addresses economic disparities: farmers earn minimal income from low‑grade wool, and creating a domestic market offers new rural revenue streams. The work strengthens UK supply‑chain resilience by reducing reliance on imported jute and coir, while showcasing how holistic bioprocessing can turn waste into high‑value, sustainable materials. Through circular design and local resource use, the project delivers environmental benefits, supports rural livelihoods, and advances innovative, low‑carbon manufacturing solutions.

This project explores material science and supply chain design. Scientifically, it pioneers the direct reinforcement of waste wool through bioprocessing, upgrading low value Dag wool into a durable fibre without synthetic binders or heavy chemical modification. This approach preserves biodegradability while achieving performance usually associated with engineered polymers, addressing a key gap in sustainable horticultural materials. Equally distinctive is the creation of a distributed UK wide supply chain model that aligns regional wool availability with existing processing and manufacturing capacity. Instead of centralising production, the project maps and integrates local actors such as farmers, processors, and manufacturers. This reduces transport emissions and strengthens rural economies. The combination of technological and systemic innovation shows how waste fibres can be valorised at scale while supporting resilient, low carbon regional industries.

This project converts low grade UK wool into biodegradable reinforcing mats for meadow turf, replacing plastic meshes with a sustainable, soil enriching alternative.

Research Focus:

• Bioprocessing and upgrading Dag wool with scalable manufacturing techniques into durable, compostable fibres.
• Mapping waste wool availability and characteristics across the UK.
• Designing a distributed supply chain linking farmers, processors, and turf manufacturers.

Innovation:

The project enhances the intrinsic properties of wool without synthetic binders, delivering strong, fully compostable mats with tuneable longevity.

Societal Impact:

It supports rural economies, reduces landfill and burning of waste wool, decreases reliance on imported jute and coir, and advances circular manufacturing.