Wooltech

What it does

WoolTech pioneers a sustainable electronics system using waste wool, eliminating metal wiring, plastic housings, and metal based PCBs. It offers a biodegradable, low-impact design that cuts e-waste and restores value to coarse British wool.

Your inspiration

A documentary revealed the UK wool industry is collapsing. 200,000 tones of wool is often discarded or burned as shearing costs exceed returns. British Heritage breeds are being lost in pursuit for ‘higher value’ wool, threatening biodiversity and rural community livelihoods. Electronics continue to rely on synthetic materials, worsening the e-waste crisis. Coming from a non-tech background, I questioned why electronics so overly complex and hard to disassemble. Sustainable hardware options are rare and wool is severely misunderstood. Seen as soft or only for textiles, yet its highly overlooked technical properties suit electronics.

How it works

Wool is naturally fire-retardant, moisture-resistant, and thermally regulating, making it ideal for electronics. WoolTech builds on these properties and uses coarse waste wool and dairy waste to develop a new biomaterial. A laser-induced carbonisation process, inspired by 'Pulpatronics', transforms wool’s high (52%) carbon content into conductive pathways. This method is x2 as cost-effective as traditional electronics, eliminating metal wiring and metal-etched PCBs. This simplified manufacturing lowers energy use and cuts demand for precious metals. Water-soluble solder allows easy disassembly of components, improving recyclability. The biomaterial board is reusable once sanded and re-lasered to form new circuitry. The product biodegrades fully within 3–4 months, closing the loop in a circular, single-material system. Its mouldability supports 3D circuitry enabling wide uses—from STEM kits and toys, to fashion and disposable electronics.

Design process

Particular attention was given to developing a wool-based biomaterial capable of meeting electronics durability demands. Over 80+ recipes using natural binders were tested for strength, durability, fire retardancy, and moisture resistance based on British Standards. The final formulation passed initial tests, with further lab testing planned. To demonstrate the concept, a torch and circuit board were designed. Early prototypes used conductive ink but showed high resistance, which undermined both energy efficiency and the project's sustainability goals. This led to adopting laser-induced carbonisation, which converts wool’s natural carbon into low-resistance conductive pathways—more efficient and cost-effective. The latest version will soon be trialled in collaboration with Pulpatronics’ patented technology. At its core, WoolTech was developed to challenge public perceptions of wool, repositioning it beyond softness and textiles and into ‘harder’ industries like electronics. It hopes to unlock new income streams for undervalued British wool and help reduce wool and e-waste whist supporting British farming and sustainable innovation.

How it is different

WoolTech is the first truly biodegradable electronics system, built for disassembly and radically affordable. Unlike other 'sustainable' hardware that rely on metal circuitry, WoolTech uses no metals. Conductive pathways form directly from wool’s natural carbon, eliminating wiring or metal etching. WoolTech also balances durability, reuse, and biodegradability. Components detach cleanly by submerging the board in water, thanks to water-soluble solder, while the biomaterial stays intact. It can be sanded and re-lasered with new circuitry for reuse . This allows multiple reuse cycles before biodegrading—a major improvement over conventional and ‘sustainable’ single-purpose PCBs. WoolTech is also x2 as cost-effective, thanks to simplified manufacturing, mono-material design, and waste inputs. Its unique mouldable biomaterial also enables 3D circuitry, merging housings and circuits into one form, further simplifying electronics and boosting efficiency.

Future plans

Preliminary tests confirm WoolTech biomaterial suits electronic applications. Further lab testing is needed for detailed data and certification. The next phase involves refining the material with material scientists to optimise it commercially.I plan to collaborate with research groups and 'Pulpatronics' to test and validate the laser-induced carbonised tracks on the wool biomaterial at scale. To support this, I plan to obtain funding from Innovate UK and innovation hubs, with potential backing from HRH The Prince of Wales as the ambassador for Wool.Ultimately I hope that Wooltech will become the new standard and be fitted to all electronics.

Awards

Wooltech has won and been nominated for prestigious wards at New Designers and beyond: MaDE Materials Innovation – Best sustainable material use. Future Native Award Nomination for fearless imagination. MullenLowe NOVA Award Nomination for creativity and innovation. Maison/0 Green Trail Nomination for nature-positive work