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WHO WE ARE
Wear the Land Collective
Wear the Land Collective is dedicated to the future of Ireland’s natural fibre sector, with a focus on the people, agricultural practices, and supply chains behind its materials. We combine sector research with public resources and policy advocacy to identify practical ways to strengthen Irish-grown wool and support the livelihoods that depend on it.
Our collective was founded in the belief that Ireland's textile heritage should be supported by a viable future for the farmers, artisans, and industries that sustain it.
We seek to better understand the challenges facing Irish-grown wool, build connections across its supply chain, and develop evidence-based recommendations to support the sector's long-term future.
OUR PURPOSE
The Irish Wool Sector
Ireland's current relationship with wool is evident in its vast agricultural landscape and rural livelihoods, tied together by longstanding textile tradition. Yet the continued presence of sheep farming has not guaranteed a viable future for Irish-grown wool.
For many producers, the price received for a fleece has been insufficient to cover the cost of shearing, leaving wool with little commercial value despite the labour and resources required to produce it.
Wool must be collected, sorted, processed, and brought to market, requiring infrastructure, investment, and reliable demand. Irish-grown wool competes with imported fibres and synthetic alternatives, while the limited commercial value of the raw material can make investment in domestic processing difficult to sustain.
Ireland's own sector feasibility research has identified the need to develop viable end markets, improve coordination across the industry, and establish stronger commercial opportunities for locally produced wool.
WHAT WE DO
Our Aim
Wear the Land Collective works to strengthen Ireland’s natural fibre sector by supporting the people, businesses, and agricultural practices that sustain it. We aim to improve the prospects for Irish-grown wool by examining the challenges facing its production and use, building connections across the supply chain, and identifying opportunities for greater commercial viability.
RESEARCHING THE SECTOR
We investigate the economic, agricultural, and supply-chain factors shaping the future of Irish wool. By examining barriers to production, processing, and market development, we seek to build a clearer understanding of what the sector needs to thrive and where meaningful opportunities for change exist.
CONNECTING ITS PEOPLE
We work to make Ireland’s natural fibre sector more visible and accessible by bringing together information about farmers, producers, processors, and textile businesses. Through public resources and sector connections, we aim to strengthen relationships across an industry whose participants can be difficult to find and connect.
FINDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE CHANGE
We explore practical ways to strengthen the position of Irish-grown wool, from improving links between farms and textile businesses to identifying opportunities for domestic processing and new markets. Our research and advocacy aim to inform conversations about the future of the sector and support decisions that benefit the people who sustain it.
Irish textiles carry cultural associations that extend well beyond the country itself, yet a garment's connection to Irish design or tradition does not necessarily mean its fibres were grown in Ireland. This distinction matters for an agricultural sector whose future depends, in part, on whether demand for Irish textiles can translate into demand for Irish-grown materials.
Without stronger links between the farms producing wool and the businesses using it, the cultural recognition of Irish textile traditions may do little to improve the livelihoods of the people who sustain them.
