The beginning
Maria and John, based near Coniston Water in the Lake District, started their entrepreneurial journey in 2015, with Maria's artistic flair driving the farm's diversification.
John, a sixth-generation Cumbrian farmer, is a dedicated conservationist and advocate for rare breed preservation. His family's roots in farming extend back 600 years in the area.
As they introduced rare breed sheep onto their farm, they discovered the untapped potential of British wool. Inspired by the desire to address the low prices farmers received for their wool, Maria and John joined forces with Zoe, a knitwear design expert passionate about promoting British wool within the fashion industry
The Wool Library
Their collaboration led to the inception of The Wool Library, where they promote the unique
characteristics of British wool breeds and champion a transparent supply chain.
By bridging the gap between farmers, designers, and consumers, they aim to restore pride in British wool and empower farmers to realise the full value of their wool products. Through education and collaboration, The Wool Library strives to create a sustainable future for the UK's sheep farmers and their breeds.
By showcasing the story behind each wool
product and fostering meaningful connections along the supply chain, they are reshaping the narrative of British wool, one stitch at a time.
Founders
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Maria Benjamin
Maria runs multiple ethical businesses utilising farm commodities and skills gathered from her and her partners' farm in the Lake District.
This includes The Soap Dairy, which utilizes their Jersey Cow Honeysuckle's milk, Lake District Tweed, bringing provenance-based textiles back to the Lake District using wool sourced from within the different districts, and off-grid accommodation development within their carefully farmed land. Maria is a strong advocate for regenerative farming & regenerative and creative farm diversification and who also serves as a trustee of Lakeland Arts.
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Dr Zoe Fletcher
Zoe has a background in knitwear design and academic research focusing on knit
experimentation using natural fibres.After completing a PhD focusing on British sheep breed fleece characteristics for knitwear design, including creating a comparable database for designers to utilize more breed-specific and traceable British wool, she wanted to highlight the positive potential of connecting regenerative farmers with trusted and traceable fiber chains.
Designing for breed enables a more conscious and functional approach to working with distinguishable material to suit complex end needs.
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John Atkinson
John Atkinson has spent 40 years as an upland farmer, with 25 years of experience working for the National Trust in department and project management roles. He is currently Chair of RBST (Rare Breed Survival Trust) and a prominent member of the North Country Cheviot Sheep Breed Society, Whitebred Shorthorn Society, and Federation of Cumbria Commoners. With his partner Maria Benjamin, John farms 450 acres in the Lake District, raising rare and native breeds of cattle and sheep. The farm has explored different markets for its produce and developed new products and income streams to add value.
Our Commitment
Our goals encompass sourcing, linking and integrity.
- Respecting and promoting the unique characteristics and integrity of British wool through the production of beautiful wool products
- Increasing the price that farmers are typically paid for their wool to help support their farming ambitions
- Building long-term relationships with stakeholders in the wool system to foster a shared understanding of the capabilities of British wool
- Working with a regenerative mindset to leverage a healthy and sustainable business that values and cares for our supply network from the soil to our customers.
Advocacy
At The Wool Library, advocacy for this remarkable raw material is at the heart of our mission. We adapt to evolving cultural shifts, advocating for wool in whatever capacity necessary.
Committed to the long-term, we pledge unwavering support for wool, our business, and the
individuals and enterprises we collaborate with. Through our actions, we strive to improve
market conditions for all stakeholders, fostering resilience by sourcing from numerous smaller farmers and producers.
Values
Our strong values drive us to elevate industry standards and positively influence market dynamics, creating genuine value for farmers.
We believe in the power of collaboration, empowering diverse voices to effect change. By starting from the ground up, we can forge a viable new business model that aligns with our ethos of giving back to the world more than we take.
With farmers at the core, we advocate for products designed with their needs in mind, leveraging the diversity of each breed's unique story and
material potential.