Grenson’s Cloudwool Sneakers: Made Entirely in the UK from Fibre to Customer
In April 2023, Grenson launched an innovative sneaker developed in collaboration with Cloudwool, marking a step forward in regional UK fashion and textile supply chains and domestic manufacturing. This partnership stemmed from Cloudwool’s participation in the Business of Fashion, Textiles, and Technology (BFTT) programme, part of the UK Creative Industries Clusters Programme.
Cloudwool, specialising in non-woven textiles made from British wool, combined its expertise with Grenson’s established history in shoe design to create a unique product. Under the leadership of Stephanie Rolph from UAL, along with Cloudwool’s founders Martin Brambley and Yolanda Leask, the project focused on developing a fully traceable non-woven textile that balances affordability, functionality, and environmental impact.
Grenson’s Founder, Tim Little, is dedicated to exploring experimental materials and with his expertise the Cloudwool team engaged in numerous meetings to discuss ideas and materials, testing different iterations of Cloudwool that could be used in footwear. Through extensive manufacturing trials and discussions, they worked to refine the ideal material for the sneaker.
The collaboration highlights that raw wool fibers are being processed in the UK, raising the value of British wool, supporting farmers and the countryside, and ensuring that this project contributes to the UK fashion manufacturing sector, where materials for shoes are often imported.
