Introducing the 2025 Innovation Prize Winner!

Now in its sophomore year, The Canadian Wool Innovation Prize recognizes innovative product development in the Canadian wool value chain. Celebrating unique and insightful contributions to the domestic value chain, the Canadian Wool Innovation Prize connects domestic innovation to the global industry and provides important financial support to the businesses responsible for driving demand for Canadian wool products.

The Prize, consisting of $10,000 CAD, will be awarded to an individual or private company that champions innovative uses of wool for commercial applications, demonstrating substantial quality and originality. Applications can include, but are not limited to, apparel, interior design, agriculture, horticulture, novel scientific applications, and other industrial uses.

Partly funded through the generous support of the Worshipful Company of Woolmen, which administers the British Innovation in Wool Awards, this Prize serves as a bridge between the Canadian and British wool industries. It honours the shared history of wool on both sides of the ocean while opening new doors for collaboration with one of the world’s most successful wool industries.

Our 2025 Winner: Inswoolation by Ecowool Canada

We are thrilled to announce that this year’s prize has been awarded to Inswoolation, an innovative wool-based food packaging solution developed by Ecowool, a strong wool fibre mill based in southern Ontario and founded by Jennifer Osborn.

Inswoolation harnesses the remarkable natural properties of wool — including thermal insulation, moisture regulation, and breathability — to keep perishable foods fresh and stable during transport. Designed for small- and medium-sized food and farm businesses, Inswoolation’s boxes and pouches offer a circular, reusable and recyclable shipping alternative. Keeping goods frozen for up to 36 hours and cold for up to 72 hours, this solution helps reduce spoilage, food waste, and reliance on synthetic packaging.

One of the most impactful elements of Inswoolation is its use of coarse, kempy, short, and coloured fibres — wool types that often don’t make grade in commercial markets. By giving this wool a new purpose, Inswoolation supports farmers, adds value to underutilized fibre, and strengthens regional wool systems here in Canada.

“There will always be wool that doesn’t make the grade. Products such as Inswoolation capture this wool and use it to showcase its natural properties.”

- Jennifer Osborn

We would also like to recognize two runners up, whose applications stood out to us:

Gardening Felt by WoolGrown Company Snowy Owl Burial Shroud by LaHave Weaving

We would like to extend our gratitude to all 2025 applicants for their outstanding submissions, which showcased exceptional creativity and innovation. We also sincerely thank the Worshipful Company of Woolmen for their continued support of this Prize.

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