A New Industrial Hub for Swedish Wool in Hälsingland

In Sörforsa, just outside Hudiksvall, the next step is now being taken to establish a large-scale, fully Swedish wool industry Here, the ambition is to establish a hub for Swedish wool – from collection and grading to finished products. The initiative is led by Dalarna Science Park in close collaboration with Swedish Textile, Holma-Helsinglands, Axfoundation, and several leading industrial partners.

– This initiative is an important step toward making Swedish wool a viable alternative to fossil-based fibers, while also strengthening industrial competitiveness and preparedness, says Johan Sidenmark, Future Materials at Axfoundation.

Wool as a Strategic Industrial Resource

Each year, around 1,000 tons of wool are produced in Sweden, yet more than half is discarded or destroyed. At the same time, large volumes of textile fibers are imported, many of them fossil based. Through the Woolution project, the next step is now being taken to establish a functioning industrial system for Swedish wool.

We know now that Swedish wool works technically, commercially, and from a sustainability perspective.

– Lina Sofia Lundin, Project Manager at Dalarna Science Park

Companies across many sectors face growing demands for lower climate impact, resilient supply chains, and traceable materials. In this context, Swedish wool can play an important role as a domestic, bio-based material in the transition toward more sustainable and resilient material flows.

– We know now that Swedish wool works technically, commercially, and from a sustainability perspective. The system demonstrator in Hälsingland is about putting the right industrial structures in place to enable large-scale use, says Lina Sofia Lundin who is the Project Manager for the initiative at Dalarna Science Park.

An Integrated Value Chain in One Location

In Sörforsa, the entire wool value chain is brought together in one location – from resource-efficient collection and AI-based grading to washing, processing, and finished products. The site has a long textile history: Holma-Helsinglands has operated textile production here for more than 100 years and is now joined by Swedish Textile, which is establishing a modern wool spinning facility.

The facility will be based on shared infrastructure, clear quality requirements, and full digital traceability. It will be designed to meet upcoming EU requirements for product passports and ecodesign, enabling consistent quality and delivery volumes that meet industrial demand.

By collecting wool from many farms and grading it according to the Swedish Wool Standard, we can make the right quality available in larger volumes.

– Rebecka Josefsson Ulvling, CEO of Swedish Textile

Infrastructure Designed for Long-Term Scale

The initiative builds on the results of The Swedish Wool Initiative, where more than 30 products have demonstrated the potential of Swedish wool across a wide range of applications. In parallel, the Swedish Wool Standard has been developed to ensure consistent quality and more efficient logistics and collection. The focus now shifts to system-level solutions that can support a long-term Swedish wool industry.

– By collecting wool from many farms and grading it according to the Swedish Wool Standard, we can make the right quality available in larger volumes. This enables long-term, traceable, and reliable products and business models based on Swedish wool, says Rebecka Josefsson Ulvling, CEO of Swedish Textile.

The initial capacity of the hub in Hälsingland is planned to be 100 tons of washed wool per year, with a clear pathway to scale up to 500 tons – equivalent to around half of Sweden’s annual wool production. Establishment begins in 2026, with commercial operations planned from 2029.