The UNUSUWUL Studio

A design and research studio that harness the amazing properties of the wool fibre.

We let the characteristics of each individual wool breeds we work with take the lead, using our innovative UNUSUWUL process to develop beautiful, surprisingly tactile textiles for fashion and beyond.

The UNUSUWUL Process

The UNUSUWUL Process is the name of our innovative design system.

If you have ever shrunk a wool jumper in the washing machine, you will know that this happens because wool felts.

Felting is a natural capability of the wool fibre. Wool has scales just like human hair, felting happens when these scales lock together. It's this interlocking that causes your garments to shrink in the wash. They get a lot smaller but also a lot stronger.

The UNUSUWUL design system harnesses this power of wool to reduce the need for synthetics in textiles. By harnessing wool's natural ability to felt through the knitting process, UNUSUWUL pieces engineer strength directly into a fabric or garment, exactly where it's needed.

What Are The Benefits?

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

The Benefits:

100% Wool = 100% Renewable Material

Following around 3000 years of domestication, sheep grow a new fleece every 12 months and this needs to be shorn for annual welfare. Untreated and undyed, wool is a natural, biodegradable fibre that can be an excellent fertiliser.
Our latest research project has been investigating exactly how this impacts the soil, in collaboration with soil scientists at Northumbria University. READ MORE.

Zero Synthetics

All wool, only wool and nothing but the wool. There are no additional materials, threads, adhesives or strengtheners used in the creation of UNUSUWUL pieces, just wool.

Circular

Striving for soil to soil circularity, UNUSUWUL products are designed to either :
>> integrate with established mechanical wool recycling systems in the UK so they can be processed into new yarns
OR
>> degrade safely in soil or industrial composting facilities

Highly Efficient

The UNUSUWUL system uses technical knitting processes to create products directly to shape with the least number of seams possible.

Highly Efficient

It also integrates with existing manufacturing processes and machinery, no new

As Local As You Like!

The UNUSUWUL Process was first developed with merino wool but has since expanded to work with recycled wool, many different UK breeds, and we are constantly experimenting!

We want to create more opportunities for UK grown wool and heritage breeds to access new revenue streams.

We are currently developing new things using certified British Wool yarns and breed specific wool fibre from biodynamic farms across the UK in partnership with SouthEast England Fibreshed.

Our BAGS are knitted up using 100% recycled merino fibre created by IINOUIIO in Yorkshire from discarded spinning waste.

WHO IS UNUSUWUL?

Nicci James is a knitwear designer challenging the perception of wool through a contemporary lens.

Nicci’s innovative work began with a series of experiments during an MA in Fashion Knitwear at the Royal College of Art. Ever curious to understand how things work - Nicci continued to develop the process with funding from Innovate UK, forming The UNUSUWUL Studio in 2023.

Currently based at Cockpit Studios in Deptford thanks to support from the Haberdashers Company.

Learn more