Chris Tattersall, Managing Director at Woolroom and sleep environment expert, shares an insight into recent investments and why continuous consumer research is key.
As specialists in wool, manufacturer and retailer Woolroom has built a strong reputation in the bedding and mattress space, focusing on sleep wellness and why wool is such an important component.
“Woolroom is a family-run business founded in 2008, built on over 150 years of experience in sourcing the finest wool and textiles,” says Chris. “When Woolroom began, synthetic, unethically produced fibres in bedding were very popular, and wool was an undervalued resource, despite its natural ability to improve sleep. We made it our mission to highlight the amazing properties of wool by using it to create bedding and mattresses.
“Wool is the most natural, sustainable, renewable, and biodegradable fibre in existence today. All our sleep-focused products are 100% natural and chemical-free and can be composted or recycled at the end of their life.
“We source our wool from UK farms and have launched our unique Wool ID® traceability programme, which allows consumers to trace the wool in their products back to the farm(s) using a QR code. All the farms we buy from are independently audited to ensure they meet the Five Freedoms, a fundamental part of the Animal Welfare Act of 2007, crucial for maintaining the highest levels of animal husbandry.”
Chris added that the business is “committed to providing every farmer with a fair price” for their wool too. Today, Woolroom offers a wide range of bedding, including pillows, duvets, and mattress toppers across three collections, as well as mattresses, beds and bedsteads, bedlinen, blankets, and throws. Designed to be recyclable, with a longer lifecycle than competing fibre types, at the end of its life, wool can be placed on a compost heap or in the ground and will biodegrade into nitrogen-rich compost within 9-18 months.
“Even our washable wool bedding fibres will biodegrade in water within 90 days, compared to 70 years or more for polyester,” Chris revealed. “Since our inception, the business has always attempted to use natural packaging and today our customers love our cotton calico bags that are reusable.
“Our aim is to eliminate all plastics from the business but if that is not feasible, (for some products like mattresses) then we try and use recycled and recyclable or compostable packaging. We are committed to making a difference and hence why we implement the standards that GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards) accreditation lays out across our business.”
Product development is a constant at the business, with Woolroom currently focusing on adding significant investment in new lines and in particular their organic cotton bedlinen lines. “These are designed and developed to work perfectly with our wool bedding product ranges,” Chris said. “We also continue to invest in systems to ensure that all of our four distributions centres and our suppliers work seamlessly. This investment ensures we have the foundations for our continued expansion in the future.”
And on expanding, Woolroom has recently opened a new Flagship Retail and Trade showroom at their Oakham Head Office location, adding to its two other stores in Marlow and Peak Village. Outside the UK, the business has also been busy planting roots in Canada, adding to the expansion into the US market back in 2019, which has seen significant growth.
“So far this year, the business has been trading well relative to the current state of the consumer landscape,” Chris said. “We are seeing single digit growth in the UK and a doubling in size in the US market as we see a real appetite for our traceable natural wool sleep products. The expansion into the US market in 2019 has seen significant growth in the last 12 months and has now prompted the opening of a US office and a strengthening of the North American team.
“We are also really excited to be launching the business in Canada. This will sit alongside our current US offering. We thrilled to be bringing the brand and our products to a new audience in North America where we believe there is already a good understanding of the benefits of wool and a significant opportunity to sell our British Wool products.
“We are also working on understanding our customers even better in each of our markets through focus groups with the aim of investing further in developing our brand messages.”
Keeping in touch with consumer habits is an ongoing commitment at Woolroom. Like many others, the business has faced significant challenges due to the current consumer landscape and the ongoing cost of living crisis. “Now, more than ever, consumers are focusing on long-term investments in products, opting for items that will last and provide the best value for their money,” Chris said.
“This is why we have worked hard to ensure our bedding products and mattresses are among the most durable available, helping consumers achieve better, more natural sleep. We continue to invest and undertake research that shows the consumer how much better one sleeps and lives with wool versus these other fibre types as well as offering the most sustainable and environmentally product at end of life.”
Other noticeable movements in the market are wellness and the online experience. Chris continued: “Wellness continues to be a growing theme. Our customers are increasingly interested in achieving the best possible night’s sleep and come to us either to explore the benefits of wool bedding or because they know that this miracle fibre will enhance their rest, health, and lifestyle.
“Ecommerce remains a significant focus, but we’ve also noticed a rise in customers visiting our stores to experience our products first-hand. This allows them to get a tangible feel for the bedding and speak with our experts about the advantages of wool as a bedding fibre.”
Looking to the future, Woolroom aims to grow its three key markets in the UK, US and Canada, while continuing to invest in both new and increased product lines, with an eye on further expansion. “We will of course continue to scope out future markets ready for expansion of our very transferrable business model in the future,” Chris says. “Watch this space!”
