UFS Wool Wise

Come and have a look at all the beautiful products 😍

Thousands upon thousands of stunning local products to discover.
3 more days to go Jozi...
Don't miss the coolest stuff you've never seen!

📍Steyn City, Johannesburg
📌 29 Aug - 1 Sep
⏰ 09:00 - 17:00
🎟️ bit.ly/4daOB9E

🌱𝗕𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗞𝗞𝗔...𝗕𝗨𝗬 𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗟!!!

Come and visit us at Kamers Steyn City from tomorrow till Sunday!

Our beautiful stall this past weekend at the .

Congratulations are in order!!
We won 2nd and 3rd place in the Wool Innovation Competition at the Karoo Winter Wool Festival. Thank you to the organizers, judges and OVK.

So excited to hear two products made by Emily and Elizabeth are in the finals for the Innovation Competition. Looking forward to the announcement!

🏆 Hier is ons finaliste vir die 2024 Wol Innovasie Kompetisie (in geen spesifieke volgorde nie):
Emily Segame ("Wool Wise Projek")
Carlise van Zyl
Elizabeth Mnwana ("Wool Wise Projek")

Die wenner sal aangekondig word tydens die OVK gala-funksie as deel van die jaarlikse Karoo Winter Wolfees, op 13 Junie te Middelburg OK.

Baie dankie aan elke deelnemer vir jul ondersteuning, dit word hoog op die prys gestel! Die standaard van inskrywings was hierdie jaar op ‘n baie hoë vlak en die onafhanklike paneel het dit baie moeilik gevind om finaliste aan te wys. Baie geluk aan die drie finaliste, ons sien uit daarna om julle by die gala funksie te sien.

Baie dankie aan die lede van die paneel vir julle tyd en moeite – Weza Moss, Petronè Oelofse, Debbie Gouws, Elna van den Berg en Beauty Mokgwamme.

Beautiful new designs in the making....the ladies are getting more creative, passionate and confident!

Lovely 100% Merino wool felt clutch bags with leather trimmings.

Beautiful 100% merino wool felt cushion covers in the making...

Watch this space, exciting new products and designs coming soon...

You might be wondering WHY we are so obsessed with wool..... just have a look! It really is the super fibre.

🌱 Thank you, UFS Law Faculty! 🌱

We extend a heartfelt thank you to the UFS Law Faculty for their invaluable support during the 8th Annual International Mercantile Law Conference. Your involvement, including purchasing and gifting our products to the conference goers are much appreciated!

Prof Swanepoel's presentation shared valuable insights about our UFS Woolwise project, emphasizing community capacitation and sustainable practices in the industry. Ms Carien Vorster and Ms Doretha Jacobs set up a display, further raising awareness and generating support.

This collaboration highlights the power of cross-disciplinary cooperation toward a sustainable future for the industry. Thank you, UFS Law Faculty, for your dedication and contribution to our mission.

Join us at the Eunice Market , please go and have a look. Come and support all the beautiful exhibitors. The Eunice Market is a must if you are in or around Bloemfontein!

Order that went out today! The lovely ladies worked very hard on this these special products. Contact us for your custom orders.

Andries Strauss one of our PhD students has an article in the Stockfarm Magazine.
Andries' research title: Building competitiveness for small scale wool growers by developing the wool value chain in the Free State province of South Africa.

The five students participating in the Ruforum project have shared their experiences.

In collaboration with the RU Forum, the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development at University of the Free State has embarked on a wool project to develop the wool value chain in the Free State. This project enables small wool farmers, as well as women from the community, to compete in the global market.

By developing the entire wool value chain and providing small-scale farmers and members of the community with skills and knowledge, we can help create a better life for those who really need it.

The department plans to involve more role players as part of the expansion of the project and to contribute more to entrepreneurship training and community development.

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As a natural fibre, wool textile manufacturing requires a complex supply chain – which becomes even longer when recycling options and wool’s biodegradability are considered.

In order to meet the drive for greater commercialisation, new skills must be developed to support farmers in becoming better entrepreneurs. Assistance towards infrastructure must be provided; and the needs of farmers, such as market access, must be identified and catered for.

The UFS Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Development and Extension (CENSARDE) submitted a proposal to the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM); their proposal was selected, and they were awarded a grant of US$300 000.

Dr Jan Swanepoel, Senior Lecturer and Researcher at CENSARDE, says the world is moving from local and national markets towards a global system of trading. This means that neighbouring farmers working on small plots of land may be competing with large industrial farmers from another country in a single marketplace.

To see how the RUFORUM project is helping students and farmers develop the skills to become entrepreneurs in their own right and provide financial assistance to their families, like and follow our page.

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𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲

In the heart of South Africa, small scale wool farmers and community members form part of an initiative hosted by the University of the Free State and RUFORUM. These organisations have joined forces to improve the livelihoods of wool growers and their communities in the Free State.

This is achieved by increasing the farmers' and communities' skill sets through workshops and mentoring. Farmers are assisted in developing more effective production and management practices, while women in the community receive training in wool processing and manufacturing.

The product of this initiative is 𝗨𝗙𝗦 𝗪𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗪𝗶𝘀𝗲, a locally sourced, handmade, community-uplifting project. These handmade products are available for sale and can be made to order.

Send an email to [email protected] for more information.

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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗺𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿.

A helpful aspect of this project is linking the communal woolgrowers to markets, and in so doing, giving them a collaborative advantage. According to Dr Swanepoel, the project will be used as a pilot to demonstrate the potential for a more multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder approach to education, research, and development.

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𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 UFS Wool Wise!

We are proud to provide locally-sourced, hand-made wool products. These products are a result of the cooperation between small-scale farmers in the Free State, the University of the Free State and RUFORUM. Please show your support by liking our page!

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As a natural fibre, wool textile manufacturing requires a complex supply chain – which becomes even longer when recycling options and wool’s biodegradability are considered.

In order to meet the drive for greater commercialisation, new skills must be developed to support farmers in becoming better entrepreneurs. Assistance towards infrastructure must be provided; and the needs of farmers, such as market access, must be identified and catered for.

The UFS Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Development and Extension (CENSARDE) submitted a proposal to the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM); their proposal was selected, and they were awarded a grant of US$300 000.

Dr Jan Swanepoel, Senior Lecturer and Researcher at CENSARDE, says the world is moving from local and national markets towards a global system of trading. This means that neighbouring farmers working on small plots of land may be competing with large industrial farmers from another country in a single marketplace.

To see how the RUFORUM project is helping students and farmers develop the skills to become entrepreneurs in their own right and provide financial assistance to their families, like and follow our page.

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As the agricultural sector starts to realise this more fundamental role and responsibilities with regard to production, new strategies can be conceived towards the enhancement of the socio-economic status of all role players in the agricultural sector.

By developing all the processes of the wool value chain, we can ensure that the small scale farmer can ensure a better class woolclip at the end of the day.

Send an email to [email protected] for more information.

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𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲

In the heart of South Africa, small scale wool farmers and community members form part of an initiative hosted by the University of the Free State and RUFORUM. These organisations have joined forces to improve the livelihoods of wool growers and their communities in the Free State.

This is achieved by increasing the farmers' and communities' skill sets through workshops and mentoring. Farmers are assisted in developing more effective production and management practices, while women in the community receive training in wool processing and manufacturing.

The product of this initiative is , a locally sourced, handmade, community-uplifting project. These handmade products are available for sale and can be made to order.

Send an email to [email protected] for more information.

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