Ruralanas
Woolco, Ruralanas and Lanas Trinidad are working together to create 100% Falkland wool products, that have been made with care and attention to detail.
The Journey
Wool is shipped to Lanas Trinidad in Uruguay, where it is scoured and processed into ‘wool tops’.
It is then sent to artisanal women working for Ruralanas who spin, dye (with natural colouring), and weave our beautiful wool into the products that are shipped back here for sale in the Falklands.
Getting Started
WoolCo began talking to Virginia, the director of Ruralanas, in 2018, then things were put on hold during the Covid pandemic.
In 2022, we were finally able to take our vision forward when Virginia met with Falkland Islanders at the Prado stand in Montevideo. From there, discussions over Zoom led to a visit to the Falklands Islands in April 2023, where plans were made for making the first orders.
Woolco started selling the products at the end of September 2023, which proved very popular with the local market. Our aim is to also be able to sell to land based and cruise tourists through a shop on Dean Street.
“Behind every product, is a story - We Weave Quality of Life”
Ruralanas
Based in Uruguay, Ruralanas is one of the largest companies in the Textile Industry, with more than 20 years dedicated to sustainable fashion, reaching different world markets.
The company was created by the Gastesi Martinicorena Foundation in 2003 to improve the lives of rural women in Uruguay. At the end of 2009, the company became independent, taking over the textile industry.
Improving Lives
The alliance between Ruralanas and WoolCo has allowed them to grow and they now employ 150 women.
Being able to make products from their own homes allows the women to improve their quality of life as they are otherwise unable to work due to travel restrictions, family commitments, or in some cases disablilties.
“Our commitment is to deliver to future generations a better environment than the one we inherited”
Lanas Trinidad
With a long-standing tradition of over 100 years, Lanas Trinidad was founded in 1916 and is the main producer and exporter of scoured wool and combed wool tops in Uruguay.
Processing 12,000 tons of greasy wool per year, their products are exported to the most demanding markets all over the world.
Their production embraces the concept of circular economy, aiming to make each step of the process as efficient and eco-friendly as possible.
The company is rooted in old traditions, but embraces modern and dynamic work models. Lanas Trinidad is currently able to process 10 million kilos of the highest quality scoured wool and combed wool tops, ranging from 16.5 to 32 microns. They are fully dedicated to the preservation of the environment and have developed a clean and eco-friendly industry.
Processing
Approximately 800 cubic meters of water are used daily in the wool scouring process. To secure self-sufficiency, Lanas Trinidad has built a dam with a 1 million cubic meter capacity, and a 7 km-long aqueduct stretching from the dam to the industrial plant.
The dam collects rainwater, a natural and renewable resource, so their plant is able to use 100% rainwater for the scouring process.
Lanas Trinidad treat the effluent water stemming from the extraction of wool grease with organic and biodegradable substances. Their system allows for the capture of biogas, reducing the company’s greenhouse emissions by 95%.
The biogas provides the company with a source of electricity and the treated water, being rich in nitrogen, is used to fertilize and irrigate trees on the property, embracing the concept of a circular economy.
