WOOLEATHER: Formed Wool Bio-Composite
WOOLEATHER is a lightweight, mouldable biomaterial created from wool fibres bound with fish glue and agar. Developed through material research in Iceland, the project explores how locally sourced sheep wool, raw wool, and fibre offcuts can be transformed into coherent sheets and three-dimensional forms without conventional synthetic resins.
Loose fibres are layered in alternating directions over a mould and saturated with a warm bio-based binder. As the material dries, the fibres interlock into a semi-rigid shell that retains the softness, warmth, and irregular character of wool while gaining enough structure to hold its form. Dried plants, natural pigments, grasses, or finely ground seaweed can be incorporated to create distinctive colours and textures that reflect local materials and landscapes.
Positioned between textile, paper, and natural fibre composite, WOOLEATHER can be moulded, cut, perforated, stitched, embroidered, folded, and assembled. It can be produced as flat sheets or formed shells, supporting applications ranging from book and menu covers, dry-use containers, and packaging sleeves to wall pieces, sculptural objects, and bespoke interior elements.
The first developed application is a pendant lampshade whose fibrous surface gently filters and diffuses light. Hand-cut openings, perforated patterns, and variations in fibre density create different levels of translucency and shadow, allowing every object to become a unique, craft-led piece.
Rather than imitating conventional leather, WOOLEATHER introduces its own material language — combining local fibres, bio-based chemistry, and hand-forming in a tactile surface situated between textile craft and contemporary product design.
The material is intended for dry interior use and remains sensitive to moisture. Lighting applications require low-heat LED sources, while heat resistance and fire behaviour must be tested before commercial production.
Createdby Austėja Platūkytė during Coastal Laboratories – Connecting People and Nature, Iceland
