Anna-Liisa Palatu founded Woola in 2020, because she wanted manufacturers to remove plastic wherever possible. She used and transformed unused wool from sheep shearing to create alternative, aesthetic protective solutions.
“200,000 tonnes a year, i.e. 90% of the wool derived from sheep shearing in Europe, is not qualitative enough to be used, so it is thrown away. As a result, initially, the idea was to use it to replace bubble wrap,” she explains.
Once the wool has been outsourced from partner farmers, it is washed and processed in the plant based in Estonia to obtain a protective material.
A versatile material
To replace bubble wrap in postal shipments, Palatu imagined a wool-based alternative as well as envelopes made from recycled paper with a shockproof, water-repellent inner sleeve, also made from wool waste. The envelopes come in three sizes and are available for €0.40 to €1.10. They can be customised to promote an exclusive, differentiating customer experience.
Encouraged by the enthusiastic response, Palatu just applied the concept to wool boxes and box inserts.
