Pilot 1 / Value Chain 1: Sheep Wool Valorisation
In Crete, sheep wool is currently considered a waste stream and is often discarded or unmanaged due to the lack of local processing infrastructure. This creates an environmental burden and represents a missed opportunity for valorising livestock by-products in local agriculture.
The Crete pilot develops a local route for turning underused sheep wool into pellets for soil applications. The value chain begins with wool collection during shearing, followed by transport, preparation and mechanical pellet production. Collection is coordinated with a shearing team and dedicated transport to the VEGAK facilities in the Finikia area of Heraklion, connecting livestock farms with processing and agricultural users.
Development combines processing trials with agronomic investigation. Laboratory pellet batches have supported the preparation of larger-scale processing, while the pilot examines soil water retention, nutrient availability and the use of functional additives. Soil application and hydroponic cultivation are among the applications under investigation. The second annual collection campaign and operation of the pelletising machinery provide an operational basis for further optimisation.
An important part of the approach is matching the material to the requirements of growers. The work therefore brings together feedstock handling, pellet preparation and cultivation trials, alongside engagement with potential users. Seasonal availability and the geographical distribution of livestock farms make collection and transport integral parts of the solution. The pellets remain experimental materials: their suitability depends on the formulation, crop and growing conditions being investigated.
The investigation combines operational information on wool collection and pellet preparation with agronomic testing. Soil water retention, nutrient availability and the response of the cultivation system are relevant to the trial programme. Formulation work also examines functional additives. These observations are interpreted alongside the collection and processing route, so that the potential agricultural value of the pellets can be considered together with their practical production requirements.
Before CSSBoost, sheep wool from the Cretan livestock sector was treated as a low-value by-product, with limited collection and processing infrastructure available to local farmers. Wool was discarded because an organised route for collection, conversion and use was missing. Sources of wool were dispersed across farms, creating a logistics requirement before processing could be established.
Collection and processing arrangements connect local farms with pellet testing and research partners. An exploratory Chania study gathered feedback from 11 professionals in May 2026, helping identify user needs and potential applications.
Further work will refine application instructions, crop suitability, comparative performance and economic viability. The exploratory market study provides early feedback from a small group of professionals.