Wool packaging is being used more & more as a sustainable alternative to polystyrene boxes and the like. If you have chilled foods delivered then it’s likely you’ve seen this insulative sheep’s wool bundled inside biodegradable sleeves.
Whenever I come across some I keep hold of it, because it’s clearly far too useful to chuck away!
I’ve made good use of it for mulching around newly planted shrubs and a few other things (re-using as packaging is the obvious one).
It’s fully compostable | It’s free of toxins | It’s highly insulative
Packaging can be one of our largest waste products, so finding a direct re-use is a fantastic way to reduce what ends up in the land fill. Whether you’re suggestion is small and simple or pretty complex please do share it!
And if it requires huge amounts of wool then still let us know, because big ideas may be of interest to community groups and businesses!
Hi Helen, I don’t know why but I was following you on Linkedin and for some strange reason when I viewd your wonderfully insightful post about using conkers as a natural alternative cleaning product the follow button was there? anyway I clicked it again so hopefully linkedin has had it’s hiccup and corrected its algorithm glitch. In 2017 I completed a PDC and have always been interested in Natural buidling methods, through this curiosity I discovered that wool can be used as an insulation in natural building methods.
I am not exactly sure of how it’s done, I just know that it can be done. Not sure if you already know about this? I do recall reading a blog entry somehwere? what was being discussed was some kind of wattling using lime, birch twigs(the really thin ones on the end of betula pendula – they drop onto the woodland floor galore!) and wool. So this creates an outer layer for a dwelling. The Lime of course as you may well know breathes and is waterproof while the twigs provide extra strength and structure and the wool of course has the insulating property to keep heat in.
I believe that further wool can then be used between leaves if you are building with a cavity wall but a proper cavity wall, not these cheap slapped together new builds. In my own personal view using logical deduction it would make sense to potentially use wool insulation in retrofitting scenarios, but also potentially in new builds where the new build is a natural materials new build. Some people use straw bales, some use cob, others use adobe but adobe is better suited to warmer drier climates unless someone has come up with a solution for water proofing adobe. I am not yet aware of it?
Still just a novice.
Some other uses I considered:
Hand crafted cushions and bedding? use as the filling?
Bedding for poultry and small animals?
I have a design for home made knee pads using those plastic dishes that chicken, cornish hen and turkeys come in.
I don’t eat a lot of meat (maybe 2 or 3 meals a week, the rest plant based) but for those who do enjoy meat and potentially they will be buying something for christmas maybe they could keep the trays, line them with sheeps wool, attach some elasticated bands using staples and give them to family and friends on boxing day if they know anyone who is a keen gardener and wants to protect their knees? Maybe a knaff idea as a gift for christmas but only us westerners woud think that. In developing countries someone would treasure them. perhaps attitudes may be changing but I won’t hold my breath waiting. Sorry that was a bit pessimistic. I do have hope in humanity…some of the time.
Like you I tried to do something similar with my blog where there could be a community space for pulling our social capital together to help each other with a wealth of ideas but I am not very good at the whole network marketing thing, and you seem pretty proficient at the whole media side of it. Formal training or just on the job experience of practicing and practicing? I’m usually too busy building people’s dream gardens.;-)
I’ll send you a continuation of this on Linkiedinks….
below is my blog address. feel free to visit, leave a comment on whatever interests you, suggetsions too are always welcome, the more the merrier! 😉
Hi Michael! I love the knee pads idea!! Just the kind of thing that you could knock up out of one deliveries worth of wool and incredibly practical. Even better with the reuse of the plastic meat trays 🙂
I can see a lot of people having ample packaging to put to use as cushion filling and bedding as well.
The natural insulation sounds entirely viable. I’m thinking particularly for smaller garden buildings and such, due to scale and it being less specific on thermal regulations. And it would make such a sweet little building if using the wattling as you describe! If the wool could be collected at scale then there’s no reason it couldn’t be re-purposed as regulated insulation too I would think, but that’s a whole set of new business links required… maybe a great opportunity for the right company!
Thanks so much for your input. I’m going to have a check out of your blog too, it sounds like you’ve got some great ideas behind it. My media stuff’s all on the job experience – lots of trial and error I think 🙂