Fiber Land – The wool project
Fiber Land is a project led by Jenny Nordberg Design Studio, in collaboration with Länsstyrelsen and Föreningen Stapelbädden (STPLN). The focus of this initiative is on utilizing natural fibers from the Skåne region, with Superlab specifically exploring the potential of Swedish wool. Fiber Land connected Superlab with various local producers, providing access to local wool. The goal of this collaboration is to experiment with Swedish wool and develop a product or method that highlights its unique properties and try to get the material into a manufacturing process.
Superlab’s aim was to design a product where Swedish wool fits naturally, while also working towards introducing the product to a Swedish manufacturer. In the preliminary phase (Dec 2023 – Mar 2024), Superlab conducted a thorough study on wool, discovering that much of the wool used in current products comes from New Zealand due to its light color and low lanolin content, making it easier to wash and dye. In contrast, Swedish wool tends to be darker and contains more lanolin, posing challenges in cleaning and dyeing but offering opportunities for more natural and earthy feel to a end-product.
Through workshops and creative brainstorming sessions (Apr 2024 – May 2024), Superlab explored innovative applications for Swedish wool. The team experimented with combining wool with other materials, trying to developing natural minimalistic designs, and using modern dyeing techniques to create products that feel contemporary and sophisticated. The Superlab team conducted various experiments and tests to explore how untreated wool could be incorporated into a product, recognizing the complexity and costliness of processing wool. The philosophy of the tests was to try to maintain the raw state of the wool but still create a material that could be used in a product. One of the end results involved creating a chair seat and backrest using untreated wool combined with bio-resin as a binder. The result was a newly designed chair that highlights the raw and untreated qualities of the wool, showcasing its natural aesthetic in an innovative way. Superlab’s experiments with Swedish wool will continue throughout 2024, aiming to integrate it into modern production processes and create a sustainable, locally-produced product.
