Rathlin Wool Rope

“Future Island-Island is an AHRC funded project that brings together community members, academics, and practitioners to co-create design-led research for a greener, more sustainable Northern Ireland economy”. Future Island-Island

An inspiring idea developed from the project focused on the wool which comes from the island, working in collaboration with the Islanders, the University of Ulster, Sustainable Rope Ltd & Ulster Wool.

Blackface was graded out of all the wool delivered at the Muckamore depot to ensure a consistent type of wool was used for the project.

The wool was then professionally transformed by Sustainable Rope Ltd into both rope and yarn and returned to the island and can be used by the islanders for an array of things- from marine life to tourist items, all made from island wool.

The process is thought to be the first of its kind as historically Blackface is not seen as useful for many different things other than carpet. Depot Manager Jayne Harkness Bones commented “To see the farmers on the island hold rope that was made from the wool from their sheep was something else, the quality of the product was of such a high standard, some of them didn’t believe it came from their sheep! But it most certainly did, as every kilo of wool that comes through the depot is 100% traceable to the farm it came from”.

An information evening was recently held on the island during part of a residential week in which Jayne chatted through how important the grading process is to ensure uniform types of wool for manufacturing, highlighting that every single fleece is expertly graded by hand at the depot.

The project also highlights the importance of working in collaboration with others to help maximise the best for our farmer's wool.