European Wool Exchange Foundation - EWE

05/10/2026

🌟 The People's Choice Award
Today, we officially open the public voting period and invite everyone to support the sensory hand comforter they like the most.
Your vote will help recognise the initiative that demonstrate the positive impact of wool on health, wellbeing, social connection and community resilience.

🗳️ Vote here:
https://app.formbricks.com/s/cmuu8utu2qta901vrmm28j6h4
Every vote counts!
Spread the word: share the link with your friends so they can vote too!

🏆 The winners, including the People's Choice Award recipient, will be announced during the official Wool4Health Awards 2026 celebration on World Mental Health Day on 10th October.
🔒Voting will close at 11 PM on 8th October CEST.

A sincere thank you to all participants, partners, organisations and communities who continue to show that wool is much more than a natural fibre. It is a source of creativity, wellbeing, cultural heritage and positive social change.

Special thanks to Marisa Arosa from Abenaia_yarn and Cooperativa d’Alegria for hosting this year's edition of European Wool4Health Awards in Portugal:



www.cooperativadalegria.com



📸 The Jury, members of the A Avó Veio Trabalhar intergenerational creative hub, selecting the winners for the European Wool4Health Awards

24/09/2026

🧶 FINAL COUNTDOWN TO JOIN THE CHALLENGE
You may know Raúl Tejón, the Spanish actor from
Today, he helps us share a different message:
Sometimes, making a difference doesn't require a major commitment.
Just a few strands of wool. A little creativity. A peacefull minutes of calm knitting... And one simple gesture of kindness.

We're inviting you to create a sensory fidget toy using natural wool and help raise awareness of how tactile stimulation can support people living with Alzheimer's.

It doesn't need to be perfect. It doesn't need to be large.
It just needs to come from the heart.
💜 Every stitch counts.
⏳ Only 2 days remain to participate
⏳ Only 20 minutes to elaborate a sensory hand comforter

📅 Deadline: 25 September
🔗 https://ewe.network/wool4health-awards-2026/

Creators, makers and fibre enthusiasts from across Europe are already taking part.
What would you create with a small ball of wool?

21/09/2026

💜🧶 Today is World Alzheimer’s Day. Let’s weave wellbeing, one stitch at a time.

"No act of kindness is ever too small. Together, small hands can create a big difference."

This is our final call to take part in the Wool4Health Awards 2026.

Using wool and other natural fibres, you can create a simple sensory tool that may bring comfort, stimulation, and moments of connection to people living with Alzheimer’s. It doesn't have to be perfect or elaborate. Even a small sample can help inspire others and shine a light on the power of these meaningful initiatives.

Every stitch counts. Every contribution matters. Every small gesture adds up.

📅 Entries close on 25 September

Please join us, share this post, and encourage your friends, family, knitting groups, schools, and communities to take part. Together, we can show how natural fibres can support wellbeing and make a real difference.

🔗 https://ewe.network/wool4health-awards-2026/

💜🧶

21/09/2026

💜🧶 Today is World Alzheimer’s Day. Let’s mark the day by weaving wellbeing, one stitch at a time.

"No act of kindness is ever too small. Together, small hands can create a big difference."

This is our final call to take part in the Wool4Health Awards 2026.

Using wool and other natural fibres, you can create a simple sensory tool that may bring comfort, stimulation, and moments of connection to people living with Alzheimer’s. It doesn't have to be perfect or elaborate. Even a small sample can help inspire others and shine a light on the power of these meaningful initiatives. Just follow the tutorial!

Every stitch counts. Every contribution matters. Every small gesture adds up.

📅 Entries close on 25 September

Please join us, share this post, and encourage your friends, family, knitting groups, schools, and communities to take part. Together, we can show how natural fibres can support wellbeing and make a real difference.

🔗 https://ewe.network/wool4health-awards-2026/

18/09/2026

🎒🐑 Back to School, Back to Wool! 🧶📚
As the new school year has just begun, it's time to get back to the simple, natural things that connect us with creativity, wellbeing and tradition.

🐑💚 Through Wool4Health Awards, wool is finding new and meaningful ways to support wellbeing through sensory and therapeutic applications. Follow along with our tutorial and discover how you can turn natural wool into something creative, tactile and meaningful.

And what better time to pick up your needles or crochet hook than back to school season?
Back to School. Back to wool!

For more info on the Wool4Health Awards visit our webiste: https://ewe.network/wool4health-awards-2026/
Posting deadline:25 September 2026

08/09/2026

Final Report of 'Innovative and sustainable ways to strengthen the role of farmers in revitalising the European wool value chain' EU CAP Network Focus Group is out!

Five strategic priorities run through the report: investment in infrastructure, stronger skills and training, a clearer identity for European wool through traceability and communication, support for innovation in both traditional and new applications, and stronger networking across Europe. Taken together, the findings show that European wool is still underused and undervalued, yet offers significant untapped opportunities for rural development, the circular bioeconomy, and resilient farming systems. Coordinated action is now needed to realise this potential in the future.

There are also six so-called ‘Mini Papers’ (MP) to complement the report:
MP 1: A better market for European wool through certifications, traceability, and marketing tools
MP 2: Wool as an animal by-product: challenges and opportunities
MP 3: Wool improvement initiative: Collection, cooperation, and education
MP 4: European wool industry: history, current context, and future foundations
MP 5: Innovative uses of wool to support sheep farmers in the EU
MP 6: State of the art of the wool value chain in Europe

Find the reports here also linked in the comments below:
https://eu-cap-network.ec.europa.eu/focus-groups-innovation-knowledge-exchange-and-eip-agri/focus-group-innovative-and-sustainable-ways-strengthen-role-farmers-revitalising-european-wool_en

01/07/2026

Follow Maria Walsh MEP as she is bringing wool debate to the European Parliament’s plenary agenda in Strasbourg next week.

The move comes as part of MEP Walsh’s campaign to end the designation of wool as a waste product, allowing farmers to better exploit its various uses, giving them an additional source of income and reducing supply costs.

MEP Maria Walsh has successfully added a debate on the importance of wool to the European Parliament’s plenary agenda in Strasbourg next week.  The move comes as part of MEP Walsh’s campaign to end the designation of wool as a waste product, allowing farmers to better exploit its various uses, ...