Developing a novel process to improve quality & competitiveness of British woollen cloth (S2S)

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The project aims to develop an innovative manufacturing system that produces a step change in the quality of woollen textile manufactured from British wool enabling it to be incorporated into a number of sectors (apparel, home and automotive furnishings) for export as high value products to Japan, US and China. The British luxury industries is a growing market with around 78% destined for overseas market. The project will diversify existing British wool cloth that are of coarser quality than cloth manufactured from state of the art imported higher cost Australian wool enabling it to be used for the new high end export market. Our principle innovation lies in the application of existing laser and vacuum steam technologies into the textile sector to improve the softness of the wool fibre and reduce its diameter to enable cloth which matches the quality of imported wool. The project will result in an increase in West of England’s manufacturing productivity and a step change in our competiveness as we will manufacture higher value British textiles with increased export potential.. The project will also see financial benefits to the whole UK supply chain which are mainly SMEs from farmers, wool processors, weavers, cloth finishers and cloth converters who turn the cloths into a range of products.