WoolInno

The WoolInno project is driven by a growing interest in wool, wool yarn and wool handicrafts, and an awareness of the importance of sheep grazing to biodiversity and the cultural landscape in Finland. This wool phenomenon is also creating demand for new products and services from Lapland. The WoolInno project is driven by the need to support small and medium-sized enterprises in Lapland, such as craft entrepreneurs, to innovate and develop wool-based products and services in a commercial and sustainable way. The project aims to produce new products and services, to improve the growth and innovation capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises in Lapland in the context of crafts and cultural tourism by sharing and renewing the cultural heritage of crafts. We increase the use of wool and to produce sustainable development by recognising the potential of cooperation between agriculture, crafts and creative industries.

The concrete outputs of the project include products and services using wool in new ways, a benchmarking report, booklet templates for businesses and craftspeople, a model for craft heritage revitalisation, an exhibition, a seminar and a publication. The long-term impact of the project will be increased cooperation between craftspeople, sheep farmers and the tourism sector. The project will contribute to the growth and profitability of the handicraft and textile sector and rural tourism in Lapland. Indirectly the project contributes to the preservation of biodiversity and cultural landscapes and the sustainability of the tourism industry.

The WoolInno project is implemented by the Faculty of Arts of the University of Lapland. The partners are craft, design and tourism companies in Lapland. The project is funded by the European Union. The funding by the European Union is €321 699, with a total budget of €402 111. The project is carried out by the University of Lapland and funded by the European Union.