Wool products regeneratively created under the Mallorcan Sun.
Our story
Sol Lana was created from a combination of my passion for sheep, localism, natural materials, and regenerative business.
Living in Mallorca, and being surrounded by these beautiful sentient beings, has made me acutely aware of their cycle of life which intertwines with traditional Mallorcan farming practices. Each year in the spring, I would observe the sheep being sheared -which is important in a place like Mallorca where temperatures reach (and often stay) around 40°C in the summer months. Sheep can overheat and die if not shorn, and their thick coats become the target for parasitic species such as ticks, lice, mites, and maggots that can lead to other painful problems.
Despite this, I could never find Mallorcan wool products. It sent me on a quest to find out what happens to this wool, and the revelation that it simply gets discarded, or burnt, as a waste product broke my heart. Wool is one of the most incredible materials that we, as humans, have privilege to work with.
It is a naturally renewable and biodegradable material that has the unique ability to self-regulate body temperature’; keeping us warm during the winter, and cool during the summer. It is also self-cleaning, strongly resistant and long lasting. It’s for exactly these reasons that our ancestors celebrated and made great use of wool. This beautiful material has been used for our clothing, and our homes throughout history.
In my quest to find a solution to the needless waste of this wonderful raw material, I came across Llanatura, a charity and social enterprise who work to transform raw, discarded wool using traditional techniques to create distinctly unique and high quality felt. Their mission to create a facility that regenerates the local economy through waste wool, with minimal environmental impact - zero water or chemical treatments, was an inspiration to see.
It was here that the idea of Sol Lana was born! Drawing from a place of need for high quality regenerative materials, a deep appreciation for sheep and extending the life-cycle of wasted wool.
By supporting woolen Sol Lana products, you are supporting ancient materials, a circular economy, and therefore removing the need for new and non-biodegradable raw materials.
Why wool?
Felt is a naturally renewable and biodegradable material, made from wool, that has the unique ability to self-regulate body temperature; keeping us warm during the winter, and cool during the summer. It is also self-cleaning, strongly resistant and long lasting. It’s for exactly these reasons that our ancestors celebrated and made great use of wool. This beautiful material has been used for clothing and homes throughout history.
Nowadays, synthetic oil based fibers (like polyester) represent over two-thirds (69%) of all materials used in textiles, which is expected to reach nearly three-quarters by 2030. Their production already requires more oil than the annual consumption of Spain.
Oil-based materials remain in landfill for generations.
This is why we want to create awareness for regenerative & ancestral materials that are biodegradable, good for the planet & the consumer.
Purposefully Handmade in Mallorca
Sol Lana’s items are handmade in Mallorca by the Llanatura Foundation. This non-profit entity works to include people with mental health conditions into their organisation. Working with these natural materials is a cathartic exercise to develop new concepts with ancient craft.
