Our History
Woolroom was founded in 2008 by Jo Dawson, a fourth generation of a Bradford wool merchant family. Backed by 150 years of sourcing the finest wool from around the world. Woolroom’s mission was to try and break the frustration surrounding the undervaluing of this incredible fibre. Farmers were paid less than the cost of shearing their sheep and over the generations, the wider consumer had forgotten the benefits that wool brings to the home. It was on this backdrop that Woolroom was founded.
Woolroom’s goal was to also break the stigma surrounding wool. It has commonly been viewed as a fibre that is more suitable for cooler climates, that it is difficult to care for and is itchy and scratchy to touch or wear. Woolroom’s aim was to re-educate the consumer on how wool’s amazing benefits could far outweigh any of the unfounded negatives associations with wool. Whilst developing and sourcing products from around the world, there was one key development at the core of its business - machine washable wool bedding. This natural and sustainable fibre could regulate temperature, be washed at home, and when encased in soft cotton, could be used in the bedroom environment.
Chris Tattersall joined Woolroom in 2012 as a shareholder and Managing Director, laying out a vision for the business to expand its routes to market and focus solely on the sleep environment. Chris, with 16 years of experience in the Textile and sleep industries in the UK, was able to develop the most natural collection of sleep related products in the UK - with the right wool carefully chosen from the right breeds of sheep, coupled with other fabrics such as organic cottons.
Woolroom opened retail presences in the UK while investing significantly in its online platform to deliver an easy-to-use customer experience and, since 2015, has seen a steep rise in sales, all focused around delivering natural sleep solutions to the rising problem of allergies, over-heating (exacerbated by the growth in memory foam mattresses and polyester bedding) and lack of deeper, regenerative sleep.
In 2017, Chris took over as majority shareholder of the business and has driven the business to new heights and to new parts of the world including North America, where perhaps wool and its health benefits are undervalued. The North American website, along with key products in US sizes launched in 2018. North America is now nearly 20% of the total business and growing rapidly. It is set to become an even bigger part of Woolroom’s future with exciting future developments - including its first US all-natural mattress ready to be launched.
2020 saw the launch of its traceable wool programme within its Classic, Deluxe Washable and Luxury organic collections (through QR codes on the finished products), making all Woolroom bedding and mattress collections fully traceable back to a group of farms in the UK.
2020 also saw the relaunch of our Baby and Children's range of products - Woolroom Kids. With Woolroom Kids, we hope to allow babies and children to also experience the same magical properties of wool, as adults have been enjoying through Woolroom's products.
As we look to the future, we hope to continue improving people's lives through the wonders of our wool bedding. Through our nationwide stores, our speedy delivery service, our international sites, and our Amazon store - we are striving to make wool bedding available to everyone wishing to experience its extraordinary properties, and improve their wellbeing... one sleep at a time.
Our Promise
At Woolroom, we know it’s important to do right by our farmers, the environment, the future and you. That is why with every product you purchase from us you’re guaranteed the highest quality, highest levels of sustainability and ethical sourcing as well as a product that not only looks amazing, but performs better than anything else available.
Farmers: We support hardworking British farmers by sourcing some of the world’s finest wool. In association with Woolkeepers ™. All our wool comes from farms that adhere to the Five Freedoms, enshrined in the Animal Welfare Act, 2007. We don’t source wool from anywhere that doesn’t guarantee healthy, happy animals.
Environment: At every step, we look for eco-friendly materials to use in our products and packaging as well. The outer casing on our Deluxe and Luxury wool bedding ranges is high quality unbleached, organic cotton. Non-organic cotton uses 16% of the world’s insecticides and 24% of the world’s pesticides, putting our environment at risk of harmful contamination. We’re here to reduce that impact.
We refrain from using plastics wherever possible. Our bedding is packaged in unbleached calico bags that can be used again and again as an environmentally friendly storage solution.
Future: We believe in sustainable and clean living. Because Wool is a natural fibre, it is biodegradable in nitrogen rich soils and compost. So, when your Woolroom mattress or bedding comes to the end of its natural life (after many, many happy sleeps), it’s not going to sit in landfill, polluting the environment for years to come like other types of bedding.
We hope that with Woolroom you’ll find a calming, peaceful night’s sleep with the knowledge that you are sleeping with the finest natural fibers known to mankind.
That’s the Woolroom difference.
