While the European Wool Day 2026 conference in Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee, on March 28 is sold out, the European Wool Experience will take place in the same venue on the same day.

The European Wool Experience is a gathering of organisations, researchers, craftspeople and those working with wool in Ireland and across Europe, in a full day free event.

It is open to individuals, families and groups who can drop in between 10:00a.m and 5:00p.m.

There will be over 35 exhibitors from across 10+ countries, interactive demonstrators and displays from a wide range of disciplines at the Experience event.

Belfast Mini Mills

Belfast Mini Mills, based in Canada, will be represented by Andrew Carpenter, international support technician who will attend both events.

He will be available to chat with anyone interested in Belfast Mini Mills equipment, starting or operating a mini mill, or exploring ways to add value to local wool.

Belfast Mini Mills designs, manufactures and operates small-scale fibre processing systems used to transform raw animal fibres such as wool, alpaca, and mohair into yarn and textile products.

The company builds complete mini mill equipment that enables farmers, co-operatives and rural communities around the world to process their own fibre locally, adding value to agricultural products and supporting regional textile economies.

By combining machinery manufacturing, fibre processing and technical expertise, Belfast Mini Mills promotes sustainable fibre utilisation, local manufacturing and innovative small-scale solutions for the global wool and fibre industry.

An important part of the system is wool scouring, the process of washing raw fleece to remove grease, dirt, and contaminants before further processing.

Belfast Mini Mills has developed small-scale scouring systems designed to operate efficiently at regional or farm level capacities, allowing fibre producers and co-operatives to clean wool locally rather than shipping it long distances to large industrial facilities.

These systems are designed to be practical, water conscious and compatible with the downstream equipment used for picking, carding and spinning, helping create complete fibre processing systems that support local wool utilisation and strengthen regional textile economies.

Belfast Mini Mills have new additions to their products including a larger line of machines, starting with a Titan carder, Titan separator and Titan washer.

They are also in the processes of making a pencil roving machine.

The Irish Grown Wool Council and fibre artist Sharon Wells, who is lead project manager of the European Wool Experience, won the pitch to host the annual European Wool Day 2026 conference.

Wells said: "We've had a huge response to it, with over 70+ currently on the waiting list and rising daily."

Conference

The conference will include presentations and panel talks from those working with wool in Ireland and across Europe.

Incoming New Zealand ambassador designate Angela Hassan-Sharp will also join the policy panel discussion.

The conference presentations will be recorded and made available online on April 9, which is officially European Wool Day.

MEP Maria Walsh will open the conference while MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú will close it.

Ní Mhurchú will also launch the Irish Grown Wool Almanac, an initial directory of those working with Irish grown wool across the island of Ireland, which will be available digitally.

Fringe event

The event will allow people to meet wool demonstrators and exhibitors from Ireland and across Europe including Serbia, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Romania, Portugal, England, Spain and Hungary.

Interactive experiences throughout the day will include finger knitting and Lucet braiding, Crios belt weaving, spinning, weaving, wool processing and therapeutic knitting.

There will be hands-on opportunities to try different wool techniques, exhibitions, displays and research. Skilled makers will share traditional and contemporary skills.

Wells said the fringe event offers the opportunity to meet the farmers, researchers, designers, makers and businesses involved, and to celebrate Irish and European wool and its critical contribution to sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods.

"This free event will be a hands-on experience of the craft and tradition of wool, from farming and spinning to weaving and felting, where people can see, touch and learn the stories behind the fibre," she said.

"Visitors will be able to engage directly with expert craft practitioners, discover the diverse textures of different breeds and experience how centuries old skills continue to evolve in sustainable creative practice.

“This celebration of wool in all its many forms - scientific, cultural and sensory - offers a unique and engaging chance for children and adults to connect deeply with the heritage and craftsmanship that make this natural fibre unique," said the fibre artist.