Thank you for joining us for Canadian Wool Conversations 2026!

Regenerating Landscape, Industry, and Community

Interest in wool and other natural fibres is growing across Canada and around the world. This remarkable fibre is being called upon to help rebuild connections within our society and local communities as we restore once-broken value chains.

From sheep farmers regenerating biodiversity, improving soil health, and sequestering carbon through sustainable grazing practices, to entrepreneurs, processors, and artisans breathing new life into rural communities, towns, and cities — wool creates jobs, shares skills, and showcases the near-infinite possibilities of this natural fibre rooted in place.

For the second edition of Canadian Wool Conversations, we gather in Calgary, Alberta — where the Rocky Mountains meet the prairies — within one of Canada’s most precious ecosystems, home to intergenerational ranches raising fine wool sheep, and situated on Treaty 7 territory and the ancestral lands of the Blackfoot, the Métis, the Stoney Nakoda, and the Tsuut’ina Nations, whose stewardship of these lands spans millennia.

Program

Wool of the West: Building a sustainable future for sheep and wool production in Western Canada
Mike Michener, American Sheep Industry Association
Tarra Drevet, Calgary Stampede
Lisa Surber, PhD, LM Livestock Services

Free Range Thinking: Creative business development for a resilient wool
Lesley Prior, Tellenby Merino
Jeff Jacobs, Happy Valley Farms
Stephanie Gross, Bumby Wool

Export 101: Positioning Canadian wool for global market performance
More information coming soon

Cultivating Capacity: Deploying skills training to unlock Canadian wool’s potential
Panel moderated by Anna Hunter (Long Way Homestead)

Tara Klager, Providence Lane Homestead

Susie Gourlay, Knit Natural

Christel Lanthier, Ferme Fiola Farm

Maddy Purves-Smith, Custom Woolen Mills

Between Supply & Demand: Telling the story of Canadian wool for value creation
Panel moderated by Stephanie Gross (Bumby Wool)

Mike Easton, Peace Valley Marketing
Christian Schmidt, Black Sheep Mattress Co.
Dana Lee Brown, Dana Lee Brown

Caroline Sommerfeld, Ancient Arts Fibre

Talk to an Expert: Roundtable Discussions

Thank you to our Sponsors

Canadian flag with red maple leaf on a black background.

Happy Valley Farms

  • Join as a Sponsor

    Join us in championing Canada’s growing wool industry by becoming a sponsor of Canadian Wool Conversations 2026.

    Explore our sponsorship opportunities below and be part of the movement to build a stronger future for Canadian wool.

    Download 2026 Sponsorship Package

  • Fill out our Interest Form

    We want to hear from you — what themes, activities, and voices do you want to see represented?

    Interested in getting involved? We’re actively looking for sponsors, speakers, and collaborators with fresh ideas.

    Fill out the form here
An elderly woman with white hair and glasses wearing a maroon jacket examines woolen scarves or shawls displayed on a table at a craft fair or market, with a wicker basket containing yarn or thread beside her.
Conference participants contribute to brainstorm

Recap:

Canadian Wool Conversations 2025

A black ball of yarn resting on a multicolored striped fabric, with various yarn supplies in the background.
Conference poster in foreground of panel discussion

In November, we hosted the inaugural Canadian Wool Conversations conference as part of Toronto’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

This first-of-its-kind one-day conference united the entire wool value chain, from wool producers to consumers, and everyone in between. Contributions from such a diverse range of participants made for an engaging, productive, and meaningful day of conversation.

Scroll further to explore highlights, testimonials, and outcomes.

Conference attendees knit while listening to panels

75+ Participants

Conference attendees take notes
Conference participants smile and pose together

17 Speakers & Panelists

Seven people standing in a line in front of a sign that reads 'Canadian Wool Conversations' with the date November 13, 2025.

Representing 5 sectors and 7 provinces

What is.. What if… What next?

How do we imagine pathways forward for the Canadian wool value chain? Our afternoon session included a workshop and round-table discussions to identify current gaps and foster collaborative ideation.

All conference received follow-up synthesized materials to allow these discussions to grow and develop into industry action.

An elderly woman with gray hair, glasses, and a gray sweater is writing on a pink sticky note stuck on a white wall with other sticky notes. She is smiling and appears engaged in a brainstorming or planning activity.
A diagram with a central red circle labeled 'Canadian Wool: What's Next?' connected to six surrounding boxes with icons and text: 'Right-Sizing Infrastructure', 'Educating the Next Generation of Wool Entrepreneurs', 'Advocacy', 'Traceability and Assurance Systems', 'Innovative Business Models', and 'Fibre Farmers in the Canadian Wool Market'.
  • Greeting The Hon. Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario

    Greeting The Hon. Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario

  • Presenting the 2025 Canadian Wool Innovation Prize to Jennifer Osborn of Ecowool Canada

    Presenting the 2025 Canadian Wool Innovation Prize to Jennifer Osborn of Ecowool Canada

  • Panel: Insights and exchanges from the global wool industry

    Panel: Insights and exchanges from the global wool industry

  • Show and tell table displaying Canadian wool products and artworks

    Show and tell table displaying Canadian wool products and artworks

  • Panel: Connecting people, products, and places with Canadian wool

    Panel: Connecting people, products, and places with Canadian wool

  • Lunch hour: Longwool sheep competition at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

    Lunch hour: Longwool sheep competition at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

  • Lunch hour: Chatting with Ontario handweavers and spinners

    Lunch hour: Chatting with Ontario handweavers and spinners

  • Panel: Building stronger regional wool systems for greater value

    Panel: Building stronger regional wool systems for greater value

  • Round table discussions: Working to fill gaps in the Canadian wool ecosystem

    Round table discussions: Working to fill gaps in the Canadian wool ecosystem

Sheep graze on hay

“The conference gave me a lot to think about and I was inspired by all the work that is being done in the industry. I made several valuable connections with other producers and had the opportunity to ask detailed questions of industry representatives that will inform my farm planning.”

Wool producers stand for recognition

What are participants saying?

“[The conference] made me think harder about my own niche and what I might want to offer in the future.”

Woven wool pieces on display at the show and tell table

“This conference provided a lot of opportunities for personal introductions that could not have been made otherwise. These will allow for further engagement and follow on discussions. Some of these personal introductions provided initial clarification on larger questions and opened doors to additional opportunities.”

Conference attendees knitting and taking notes

Keeping the conversation going

More information on Canadian Wool Conversations is coming soon! Stay in the loop by subscribing to our newsletter:

Panel participants answer audience questions