SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES FOR WOOL VALORIZATION

Use and valorization of renewable resources is a key factor within the sustainable development concept. In this context, natural fibers have known a well-deserved revival, both for clothing and non-clothing applications. During the last decades, wool production and prices has fall, due to the rise and diversification of synthetic fibers. Great amounts of wool are treated as waste and are burnt or landfilled. At present, in search for sustainable resources,wool is regarded as a biodegradable renewable resource and due to its complex chemical composition and physical structure, can find various value- added application. Two main directions to add value to wool fibers have been developed: applications that use native or slightly chemically modified fibers and applications that use the keratin biopolymer, previously extracted from the solubilized fibers. Lately, intensive research has been done on wool and its potential non-conventional applications as renewable resource. Innovative application and valorization solutions are reported in the specialty literature and different kinds of products are patented and marketed. The aim of this paper is to present the actual and potential possibilities for the valorization of native wool fibers in novel, non-clothing applications, and their contribution to the economic, environmental and social pillars of sustainable development