Woola protective packaging is made of leftover wool, bio-based binder and, in case of the Wool Envelope, recycled paper — which are all biodegradable materials. Even if they end up in nature or in landfill, they’ll eventually❊ break down into biomass, CO2 and water, without leaving any microplastics behind (unlike the classic bubble wrap/mailer made from polyethylene (PE), the main source of microplastics globally).The two layers of a Woola envelope are easily separable so both materials, wool and paper, can easily be reused or recycled. The main challenge of plastic bubble wrap envelopes is that the different materials are difficult to separate, which makes it nearly impossible to recycle in most countries. The only option for them is landfill, or to be burnt to create energy.
❊ The timeframe depends a lot on the conditions of the environment (temperature, moisture and oxygen levels, microbes) so it can be from some months to some years, but compared to plastic packaging that can take up to 1000 years to decompose in landfills, it’s so much lighter on the planet.**
Reuse it as long as it’s in a good shape or get creative and use the wool for a DIY project. We’ve made separating the two materials – wool and paper - easy, so you can compost the wool and recycle the paper. How? Recycle the paper envelope in a paper and cardboard bin (please remove all labels and the sticky strip). The wool layer will break down under industrial composting conditions. Check with your local provider for guidance.
Even if Woola packaging ends up in landfill (via general waste stream), it will eventually break down into biomass, CO2 and water, without creating any microplastics. Each landfill is different meaning it is impossible to name a specific timeframe. It depends a lot on the conditions (temperature, moisture and oxygen levels, microbes) so it can be from some months to some years, but compared to plastic packaging that can take up to 1000 years to decompose in landfills, it’s so much lighter on the planet.
We use a bio-based biodegradable binder to turn raw wool into a Woola packaging. To make the Wool Envelopes we also use envelopes made of recycled paper.
All Woola products are made in Estonia. Our factory is located in the small town of Paldiski. Besides being easily accessible by train from the capital Tallinn, the location is great as it allows us to tap into the area’s autonomous renewable energy grid operated by the PAKRI Science and Industrial Park.
The leftover wool used in our products currently is from the UK. It’s the country with most sheep in Europe. It’s also a place with long sheep farming traditions and therefore has advanced methods of processing any quality of wool, which made it the most accessible source of leftover wool for our early production.To make our supply chain fully transparent and lower the transport emissions, we're now working on a new supply plan that involves sourcing wool directly from local farmers in Estonia who we can personally meet and visit. This allows us to choose partners sharing the same values, especially when it comes to prioritising animal welfare. We’re aiming to make our supply chain fully local and transparent by the end of 2021.
We only use waste wool in our production to eliminate the direct impact on sheep. The type of wool we use is mostly considered a worthless by-product as its quality is not high enough for the textile industry. We’ve set high standards when choosing our suppliers to make sure the sheep are treated well throughout our supply chain.There are a lot of gray areas when it comes to the wool industry and that’s why we’re working especially hard on making our supply chain fully transparent to everyone interested.
The wool is washed in the process, making it clean and hygienic, but we don’t use any chemicals to remove the natural scent fully. We’d compare the minimal smell with the smell of a wool sweater.
Wool itself is a hypoallergenic material. People who experience reactions to wool mostly react to lanolin, a substance found in wool, or dyes/preservatives added to the wool. We use washed wool in the production, from which lanolin has been released, and don’t add any chemicals that can trigger an allergic reaction. People have different skin sensitivity and for some wool apparel is simply too scratchy to wear, causing irritation.
Use Woola to pack items that need extra protection when shipped. Simply said, use Woola to pack everything you’d otherwise use plastic bubble wrap/envelope for.
Yes. We do offer custom design to orders starting with 5000 pieces. You can add your own text, logo or any other brand element on the top paper layer of the Wool Envelope. Contact us for details hello@composdliving.com
