A Galway-based business - Woolstore, operated by Katarina Hruskova - is aiming to give greater value to Irish farmers by processing higher quantities of their wool.

Established in 2024, Woolstore is a wool washing and processing business that is now looking to expand, with Katarina aiming to increase the capacity of her mill and start spinning wool into yarn.

She said: “With shearing season fast approaching, it’s common to hear sheep farmers all around the island commenting on how this is a loss-making exercise because the wool they produce is deemed worthless.

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"As sheds around the country burst with tonne-bags full of rotting wool, a recently-released report has highlighted the lack of washing and small-scale processing facilities as the main bottleneck preventing the development of innovative uses to the national clip.

"Meanwhile, Woolstore’s small but efficient operation has proven successful in washing, picking and carding wool for local farmers and textile crafters,” she added.

Opportunities

Katarina highlighted opportunities for Irish wool, including 200kg of Galway wool processed by Woolstore and exported to Texas in 2025, where it was spun by a mill and is being sold as a speciality yarn.

Katarina says Woolstore is the only mill in Ireland that accepts flexible batches of wool to be washed and carded.

“The business provides direct access to an opportunity that farmers and independent designers would not be able to access otherwise.

"One of the biggest drivers for me is showing people how good Irish wool is. I love seeing the look on farmers’ faces when they get their wool back after being processed, seeing the difference and starting to understand the quality of what they actually have!”

She commented that it is this passion for demonstrating the potential of Irish wool that has led her to pursue the next milestone in her business - increasing scouring capacity and acquiring Woolstore’s own semi-worsted spinning machine.

“The ambition is enthusiastically welcomed by farmers and textile practitioners who have been calling for viable avenues to utilise this renewable and highly versatile material."

Crowdfunding campaign

Katarina explains that to achieve this ambitious goal, that will benefit both the farming and the textile sectors, she has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise half of the funds needed to purchase the washing and spinning machines. The rest of the funds will be sought through LEADER funding.

Backers of the campaign can expect perks such as farm tours, processed fibre, discounts on services and classes on wool processing and natural dyeing.

The crowdfunding runs until 12 April. To learn more about the campaign and contribute, visit here.