In Estonia, startup Woola believes wool could be the next sustainable packaging option to address the environmental footprint of e-commerce. The company claims that 90% of wool produced in Europe is unused because it is too coarse to be used for yarn. Paired with paper, this unused wool could be used for plastic-free protective packaging options.
One product—dubbed Bubble Wool—protects against scratching as well as its plastic predecessor and is also reusable and water-repellant. Woola has also produced padded envelopes and protective sleeves for glass items like wine bottles.