Meet the winners of the first-ever Canadian Wool Innovation Prize!
The Canadian Wool Innovation Prize provides a prestigious recognition of true innovation in our domestic wool value chain. The Canadian Wool Innovation Prize celebrates innovation within our domestic wool value chain and connects it to the global industry, and provides direct financial support to the businesses that are creating demand for high-value product using Canadian wool fibre.
Funded in part through the generous support of the Worshipful Company of Woolmen, which administers the British Innovation in Wool Awards (you can learn about previous winners here), 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.
The Prize, consisting of $10,000 CAD, is 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. This year, the Prize money was split equally among the two winners.
The General Bean
Based on the north coast of British Columbia, The General Bean is a family-run business led by fibre artists Jamie Bowen and her husband Mike. Passionate about sustainability, local craftsmanship, and preserving fibre arts, they’ve created a unique line of needle felting kits made with Canadian wool. Each kit is designed and assembled in their studio, ensuring all production remains in Canada. These beautiful kits are available in small shops across North America and online!
Brand Felt
Brand Felt is a fourth generation felt manufacturer based in Mississauga. Led by Jack Brand, the company has developed a one-piece, patented saddle pad called “Unity Pad”. The contoured pad is crafted from premium wool felt and heroes’ wool over synthetic fibers. Designed and manufactured in Ontario, it combines innovative technology with Rambouillet wool from Alberta to create the F10 Ultra Unity Pad – a Canadian product in every sense of the word.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the applicants for their outstanding submissions, which showcased exceptional creativity and innovation. We also sincerely thank the Worshipful Company of Woolmen for their generous support of this inaugural Prize.
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