Meet The Maker - Wool Insulation Wales

Wool Insulation Wales Ltd was founded in 2022 by Directors Ruth-Marie Mackrodt and Mair Jones who between them have over 50 years’ experience in the construction and housing industries.

Mair Jones is also a multi-generational sheep farmer and understands the challenges faced within the agricultural community.

Tell us about TrueWool?

We manufacture Truewool® Thermal Loft Insulation Rolls from 100% pure Welsh wool. Sheep’s wool is a naturally efficient thermal insulator and has had over 10,000 years to evolve to live harmoniously in harsh environments on the Welsh hills.

It’s no secret that we get a lot of rainfall in Wales, but sheep have evolved over thousands of years and adapted to this environment with their fleece not only keeping them dry but warm and comfortable. Wool is particularly unique in terms of an insulation product as it is extremely good at managing dampness and humidity being a hygroscopic material. Added to this, wool can absorb up to 30% of its weight in water without compromising its thermal value.

Truewool® rolls come in widths of 400mm or 600mm and many clients specify a requirement for traceable Welsh wool from a particular county surrounding a project which provides an excellent social value measure and underpins the principles of circular economy thinking. We are keen to expand this offering to other parts of the UK and very much hope to be purchasing Northern Irish, Scottish and English traceable wool over the coming months.

Why is using traceable wool so important in your Insulation?

Through British Wool's Traceability Scheme, we can trace the farms that the wool has been collected from and pay the additional premium payment to those farmers who are producing that quality of wool. Wool producers from Wales that have benefited from the traceable premium to date are relieved to see a support scheme that is helping improve the return they receive for their natural harvest.

The demand for local, low embodied carbon, renewable and bio-based construction products has significantly increased over the past few years as the UK embarks on the journey to net zero. Sustainability in supply chains, support for the circular economy and measurable social value from goods and services is of growing importance and British wool has an outstanding opportunity within this narrative.

A case study on our product Truewool® has recently been endorsed and listed on the United Nations – UN’s Sustainable Development Goals website for its unique approach to supporting the circular economy and creating a product that can be returned to the earth with no recycling processes at the end of its useful life. 3.4 million tons of waste is generated in the construction industry each year in Wales alone and whilst recycling and re-use rates have improved over the past 20 years, they are very far from perfect and still involve energy-intensive processes.

Truewool® uses a coarse wool grade we produce here in Wales from the iconic Welsh Mountain breed that regeneratively grazes and conserves our upland and lowland habitats. This wool has an increased crimp to the fibre helping trap more air in construction terms this smart technical fibre has a high Specific heat capacity which means it is extremely good at delaying the transfer of heat and thus Truewool® not only works to keep our homes warmer for longer in the winter months and save on heating but also cooler for longer in the summer months, improving thermal comfort all year round.

What are the benefits of using Truewool®?

Anyone who has taken on the DIY task of installing loft insulation in their properties or perhaps as a contractor will know the immense list of PPE required to keep yourself safe when using manmade insulation products as they are lung, skin and eye irritants and whilst we would always recommend using suitable PPE and a dust mask in a confined space such as a loft, our product is natural and safe to be handled. Our customers regularly report back to us that they love ease of installation with this product and how refreshing it is to be using a product that does not cause them harm and is so nice to handle. We have also been told many times how much quicker a loft install takes with a product like Truewool® as it rolls out seamlessly.

In 2023, Wool Insulation Wales Ltd was awarded ‘Welsh Start-Up of the Year’ in the ‘Building & Construction’ category of the National Start-Up Business Awards. The award recognised the company’s commitment to supporting the construction industry’s efforts towards the decarbonisation of the built environment as well as our research & development activities collaborating with sector-leading companies and universities in England and Wales with the help of funding from Innovate UK and the Welsh government Smart FIS programme.

Where can you buy Truewool®?

Truewool® can be purchased directly or at Robert Price Builders Merchants, LBS Builders Merchants, All Trades Carmarthenshire, Huws Gray and Travis Perkins.

For more information visit our website www.woolinsulationwales.com