Lara Braun

Swedish wool is rarely considered a commercially-viable resource and is often discarded as a by-product of the meat industry. At the same time, more than half of our domestic wool is thrown away while large quantities are imported.
In my degree project, I explore how underutilised Swedish wool can be used as a material for indoor lighting.

The project responds to how the industry often relies on binders, materials that require complex end-of-life processing, in order to shape wool. I investigate how wool can instead be formed without binders, based on its inherent qualities. Wool is highly formable and elastic while also being naturally flame-resistant. It can become translucent and has a strong ability to diffuse light.

By creating different lighting fixtures, based on different lighting conditions, I aim to demonstrate the potential of Swedish wool in relation to light, and how the material can influence space and experience.