From farm to fashion: Deakin and Country Road spin gold from wool scraps

In a project that sounds like textile alchemy, Deakin University has partnered with Full Circle Fibres and Loomtex to transform Australia’s unwanted wool scraps into premium yarn—proving that one farmer’s trash really can become a fashionista’s treasure.

The cleverly named “Mud to Marle” project has successfully demonstrated how low-grade Merino wool fibres, typically destined for chunky homeware, can be spun into fine yarn perfect for stylish garments. Think of it as giving wool’s ugly duckling a complete makeover.

Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials teamed up with Full Circle Fibres and textile manufacturer Loomtex after securing funding through Country Road’s Climate Fund. Their mission is o prove that Australia could handle textile production from paddock to fashion rack entirely on home soil.

“Deakin University is at the forefront of cotton processing and spinning innovation in Australia and has an array of textile processing equipment,” said Associate Professor Christopher Hurren.

“During the project we wanted to explore methods that reduce resource use while still delivering a viable, high-quality textile product.”

The secret lies in those short wool fibres called “locks,” which make up just 3-5% of Merino fleece but are usually considered the poor cousins of premium wool. Full Circle Fibres founder Meriel Chamberlin explained:

“These shorter fibres are perceived as having a lower value than the rest of the fleece and tend to be used in homeware and chunkier knit garments as it is difficult to process them into fine yarn.”

By blending South Australian locks with Queensland cotton, the team created surprisingly fine yarn that’s already been tested in prototype T-shirts, jumpers, and pants. The success has unlocked an additional $300,000 for a three-year industry partnership.

“There is growing momentum to revive Australia’s textile manufacturing capabilities,” Chamberlin noted, suggesting this could be just the beginning of Australia’s textile renaissance.

Image: Supplied