Wool recycling - Wool return

Wool Return - A Global First - Join Our Recycling Initiative!

Weids Living & Sleeping is leading the way as the first company in the bedding industry to recycle and reuse sheep's wool through a circular economy!

Request a free return label from us, which allows you to send your old wool duvet(s) and wool pillow(s) back to us in your empty delivery box, completely at our expense. At the Wol Fabryk Fryslân, your wool bedding is fully recycled.

The wool is thoroughly cleaned and, after a rigorous quality control process, is repurposed for other circular products, including bean bags for people and pets, as well as high-quality eco-friendly insulation material.

Why Wool Return?

Unfortunately, old wool duvets and pillows are still almost always sent to landfills. This is a significant waste of resources, as wool is a premium natural material that is exceptionally well-suited for reuse and repurposing.

For several years now, Weids Living & Sleeping the only company in the bedding industry worldwide to provide such a service has been accepting wool duvets and pillows for return. Our mission is to recycle these materials, thoroughly clean the wool, and process it into new, high-quality products such as bean bags and specialized cushions for dogs and cats.

Wol Fabryk Fryslân

We took our first pioneering steps in 2018, and today we are proud to announce that the new Wol Fabryk Fryslân will be scaling up this circular initiative significantly by the middle of this year. We are currently establishing a dedicated, state-of-the-art production line at the Wol Fabryk Fryslân, which is scheduled to be fully operational by mid-year.

Get Involved! Send Your Old Wool Duvets and Pillows to Us

Wool Return makes it easy to drop off your old wool duvet and/or pillow at a local collection point, or you can send them directly to the Wol Fabryk Fryslân.

The return address for your old wool duvets and pillows:

 Wol Fabryk Fryslân
Attn: WolRetour
Alddyk 18
9044MN Bitgum

Wool Return Collection Points

We are currently working alongside local bedding specialists to establish collection points. We will keep you updated via this page on where you can drop off your wool duvet and/or pillow in your area.

Become a Wool Return Collection Point?

Simply register your interest by sending an email to: wolretour@wolfabrykfryslan.nl. We will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

What is Wool Return?

Wool Return is the specialized process through which wool from used duvets and pillows is recovered and repurposed for new products. This cycle involves meticulously cleaning and sanitizing the wool to ensure it is fully restored for high-quality reuse. The concept of WoolReturn aligns perfectly with the circular economy, where products are not discarded as waste but are reintegrated to preserve the value of natural materials.

Why Choose Wool Return?

There are several reasons why Wool Return is the sustainable choice for duvets and pillows:

• Waste Reduction: Wool is a resilient natural material that can be reused without losing its inherent quality. By repurposing wool from old duvets and pillows, we significantly decrease the volume of textile waste destined for landfills.
• Sustainable Resource Management: Wool is harvested from sheep, which naturally produce their fleece every year. Through WoolReturn, we ensure the most efficient and responsible use of these renewable raw materials.
• Extended Product Lifespan: Wool naturally possesses a long lifespan, maintaining its beneficial properties year after year. Reusing wool allows us to significantly extend the material's lifecycle, providing both ecological and economic benefits. Furthermore, wool is completely biodegradable, meaning that even at the very end of its journey, it returns to the earth as a valuable soil nutrient.

How Does the Wool Return Process Work?

The Wool Return process begins with the collection of old duvets and pillows. These items are sorted and undergo a rigorous quality inspection. This results in three distinct streams:

1. Suitable for Reuse

The wool from the duvets and pillows is 'released', thoroughly washed, and, after a rigorous quality control process, circularly reused for other products. These include bean bags for people, pet lounge cushions, WonderWol, and Filling Wool for hobby crafts. Additionally, the recycled wool can be used as high-quality insulation material. Please note that reusing this wool as filling for new wool duvets is not currently part of our process.

This is not due to hygiene, after our specialized cleaning process, the wool is 100% hygienically clean but because there is currently an enormous surplus of sheep's wool. As a result, sheep farmers are receiving very little for their raw wool. By making sheep's wool an attractive and viable filling material for a diverse range of products again, we aim to increase its popularity and, consequently, help raise the market price for the farmers. 

2. Giving a Wool Duvet a Second Life?

We frequently come across duvets that, after a professional deep clean, are still in perfect condition for a second round of use.

These duvets are meticulously washed by our team and then donated to organizations such as homeless shelters and refugee centers. Once these duvets finally reach the end of their lifespan there, we aim to collect them once more so they can ultimately enter the circular recycling process.

3. Unsuitable for Reuse

Our commitment extends beyond just the high-quality reusable wool. Wool from duvets and pillows that is not suitable for direct reuse is ground and pressed into nutrient-rich bio-pellets, which serve as an effective natural fertilizer for the agricultural and horticultural sectors.

The outer cover (the ticking) of the duvet is also repurposed, being transformed into items such as industrial cleaning cloths and insulation material. As a result, the entire duvet is fully recycled, significantly reducing the impact on the environment and preserving precious raw materials.