nir-vana innovation network

The UK company is a long-established business, having been founded in 1888, and supplies quality wool and biodegradable fibres to spinners, weavers, brands and manufacturers of products such as mattresses and bedding, carpets, upholstery and insulation.

Alongside the core business activity of supplying traceable wool products, the company has moved to supply also some related products including a range of wool-related chemical treatments. A key product in this range is an environmentally friendly insect repellent which is particularly effective in repelling the clothes moth.

These moths are found around the world and it is their larvae which eat the fibres in the material, causing holes in clothes and other fabrics. Carpets and other wool products treated with the company’s ecological chemical are considerably less susceptible to this damage.

With sustainability being one of its key business drivers, the company was keen that its products should not cause damage to the environment and therefore the insect repellent is formulated from ingredients which are safe and biodegradeable. It is compliant with all EU chemicals regulations, with appropriate safety data sheets.

The product is being sold successfully in the UK to customers manufacturing wool-based products particularly in the carpets industry. In addition, there is an opportunity to develop this product into a moth repellent chemical for use in treating or preventing infestations in the commercial environment.

Now, as part of its international growth plan, the company would like to develop the overseas market for this innovative repellent by appointing distributors in the EU and in North America. Partners should be suitably experienced in the distribution of chemical products, ideally into the textile and related products sector.

Advantages & innovations

The UK company can offer the following advantages to potential partners: • The opportunity to work with a long-established and growing company, with a strong heritage and reputation in the wool industry; • Expertise in eco-friendly alternatives to traditional chemicals used in the treatment of wool and other natural fibres; • A natural and yet effective repellent against the clothes moth, whose numbers have significantly increased in many countries over the last few years; • A product that meets the growing customer demand for environmentally friendly chemicals, without compromising on performance; • The company has an exclusivity agreement in place for this product, and the ability to issue distribution agreements either by territory and/or sector. • Marketing support from the company’s sales team.

Stage of development

Already on the market

Partner sought

Partners should be experienced in the marketing and distribution of chemical products into commercial environments. Ideally, they would have experience and contacts with manufacturers of wool products, or products containing wool. They would be expected to dilute and then distribute the insect repellent chemical in various forms for treatment and / or prevention of infestations in commercial environments. The company is looking for partners who are reliable, ready to engage in a mutually beneficial relationship and who share its passion for sustainability.