It Started With Wool
Solidwool was born from the idea to create something beautiful, to create sustainable design with an unbreakable link to nature. A unique composite material, Solidwool is made in the UK using British wool and bio-resin. Think fibreglass, but with wool.
Original founders, Justin and Hannah Floyd, wanted to create something that was beautiful and had purpose. Solidwool - a material with endless opportunity. Since 2020, new custodians Roger Oates Design have supported the development of Solidwool through re-engineering the material, developing production and re-designing the Hembury chair.
Herdwick - the iconic breed of the Lake District was the original inspiration behind Solidwool. The upland sheep dramatically lost its value in recent years. Historically used in the UK carpet industry, this wool had fallen out of favour and was considered almost worthless, a by-product of sheep farming.
So we started to play. To turn the way we have always worked with wool on its head and turn this by-product into design created with conscience, beauty and soul.
The end result is Solidwool. A strong, beautiful and unique composite material. Think fibreglass, but with wool.
The fleeces we use are from both the Welsh Mountain and Herdwick breed - plentiful, yet there is little demand for this coarse, robust and wiry wool. Both breeds are native to the UK, and have been for centuries, so it is important to keep these sheep and their shepherds in the landscapes they belong. By using traditional, hardy breeds we are supporting British farms and reducing the carbon footprint of our product.
