Towards the World’s first natural solution to valorise waste wool

Challenge

Wool is a natural and durable material native to Scotland, but as much of wool fibre produced in this country is of a coarser texture, it has traditionally had limited uses and as a result reduced its value to society.

Prickly Thistle and Johnstons of Elgin wanted to investigate the use of a natural enzyme to soften coarse wool fibres. There is currently no natural solution available either in the UK or globally to soften wool.

The project needed to identify specific enzymes that behave and interact with wool fibres to soften them, and those enzymes needed to work consistently and at readily achievable temperatures.

Solution

Feasibility funding from IBioIC enabled the project partners to work with Dominic Campopiano at the University of Edinburgh. The UoE team identified enzymes that can partially degrade coarse wool fibres. Combinations of biocatalysts were used to treat the wool and three potential enzymes were identified to take to ‘scale’ testing. Property changes in test tube samples indicated that the overall goal of refining coarse wool fibres is achievable.

Outcome

The project was successful and a world first. There is global demand for this solution, both in processes for reusing waste natural fibres and in using coarse British wool in new fine yarn product categories.

This project supports the Scottish Government’s circular economy and net zero goals, offers an added value product to the agriculture industry by increasing the value of raw and waste materials, and supports the University of Edinburgh’s goal to be a world-leading centre of education excellence.