‘Irish Grown Wool Almanac’, a directory of the people, places and practices shaping Irish grown wool
Following a public call for submissions in February 2026, this directory was compiled, edited, designed and printed by the end of March 2026. The purpose of this publication is to raise the visibility of those contributing to the Irish grown wool sector, while also acting as a practical tool to help people find one another; whether to source, purchase or collaborate.
The ‘Irish Grown Wool Almanac’ was produced to celebrate Ireland’s hosting of ‘European Wool Day 2026 Conference’ and ‘European Wool Experience’ events, creating a tangible and lasting output that captures the breadth of people working with Irish grown wool across a wide range of categories. It was produced, project managed and sponsored by ‘Future Island Island’, an AHRC Green Transition Ecosystem (GTE) programme led by Ulster University, working with partners across research, industry, and communities to explore how creative, design-led approaches can support more sustainable futures.
Compiled and edited by Professor Alison Gault, Anna Duffy, Gillian Colhoun
Designed by Jonny Lynn
Cover illustration by Lynn Finnegan
With support from Catherine Phibbs in the Irish Grown Wool Council
At the end of the ‘European Wool Day Conference 2026’ on 28th March 2026 in Tralee, Co.Kerry, Ireland, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP closed the conference and officially launched the ‘Irish Grown Wool Almanac’, marking a key legacy of this year’s event. As described on its opening page, it is “a directory of the people, places and practices shaping Irish grown wool.”
The print publication of the ‘Irish Grown Wool Almanac’ was released as a limited edition for European Wool Day 2026 Conference attendees, the digital version is available to download free here. Please feel free to share this directory with your networks.
L_R: Professor Alison Gault (Ulster University), Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP, Catherine Phibbs (Irish Grown Wool Council), Anna Duffy (Ulster University),
Officially European Wool Day is celebrated on 9th April each year, whilst the conference can take place on or before this date.
Future Island Island
Future Island-Island is a collaborative research project led by Ulster University, with Queen’s University Belfast, The Glasgow School of Art, University of the Arts London, alongside 18 different co-investigator organisations from public, private and third sectors across phase 1 (2023-2025) and phase 2 (2025-2028). They have the support of a wider network of industry experts, community groups and public sector partners. This design ecosystem integrates local knowledge with academic expertise and practical experience. The project goal is to codesign innovation, facilitate best practice knowledge exchange and develop scalable models with place-based real-world benefits. Projects include The Rathlin Wool Project which is bringing new life to Rathlin Island’s wool heritage. Surplus fleece, once treated as waste, is now being turned into high-quality yarns that support local farmers, cut textile waste and help biodiversity thrive. futureisland-island.org
European Wool Day is an initiative of the European Wool Exchange Foundation (EWE) a Europe-wide initiative that celebrates the value of wool as a natural, renewable and biodegradable fibre, while highlighting the people and farming traditions behind it. The day is used to raise awareness of sustainable wool production, the role of sheep farming in rural communities, and the environmental and therapeutic benefits of choosing natural fibres over synthetic alternatives. It also showcases innovations in wool use across research, fashion, design and industry, encouraging consumers to consider wool as a durable and eco-friendly material. ewe.network