Estonian and Norwegian local sheep wool – research and study materials for textile students in higher education

Time
1 December 2020 – 30 November 2022

Goal
The project aims to study and test the quality and properties of wool from indigenous and most common sheep breeds in Estonia and Norway, to create study materials and pilot wool study programmes for textile students. The broader goal of the project is to increase the use of local sheep's wool in textiles. In Estonia, there is a lot of prejudice about the quality of local wool and most of it (85-90%) is destroyed as waste. There is no Estonian wool quality system, and not enough research has been done about the properties and suitable usage areas of local wool that could support the broader use of local raw material. In Norway, there is a very good system for collecting, sorting and processing wool, but as in Estonia, textile students' understanding of the properties and quality of local wool should be better.

The project helps to find suitable ways for using local wool in making different fabrics and promote and develop the use of local wool among crafters, artists, and consumers. Local wool factories involved in the project can use the results of the project to promote their products better. Estonian wool gets more research-based attention as a valuable textile raw material.

Cooperation partners
The EEA/Norway Cooperation Programme in Higher Education supports the two-year project with a total amount of 128,657 euros. Project partners include Tallinn University of Technology and the wool factory Muru Villavabrik from Estonia and the University of South-Eastern Norway and Selbu Spinneri AS from Norway.

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