Revaluing Native British Wool: Design-Led, Place-Based Research into Fibre, Landscape and Circular Material Futures University of the Arts London in United Kingdom

This PhD opportunity at the University of the Arts London investigates Native British Wool (NBW) as a place-based material system, focusing on the intersection of fibre performance, landscape, design practice, and cultural value within UK rural, social, and ecological contexts. The project challenges conventional wool valuation metrics, such as fibre fineness, which often overlook the significance of place and breed, and seeks to develop alternative, design-led methods for evaluating and communicating NBW.

Applicants will have the chance to shape the project according to their own disciplinary, methodological, or creative interests. Research questions include: How do farming, processing, and cultural histories influence the performance and perception of NBW fibres? What alternative evaluation and communication methods can revalue NBW beyond micron-led hierarchies? How can design-led approaches support circular, regenerative, and locally grounded wool futures while respecting rural knowledge and labour?

Practice directions may involve fibre and textile performance explorations, place-based material narratives, relationships between biodiversity, breed, and landscape, craft and heritage knowledge, and design methods that bridge empirical testing, storytelling, and systems change. The studentship is developed in collaboration with The Wool Library, an industry-led platform founded by Dr Zoe Fletcher, which focuses on breed-specific fibre characteristics, regional practices, and sustainable processing pathways. Dr Fletcher will act as an industry mentor/advisor, providing sector insight, access to networks, and support for public- and industry-facing outcomes.

Supervision is provided by Professor Veronika Kapsali (materials technology and design, bio-inspired textiles, practice-led Design+STEM innovation, textile systems research) and Dr Laetitia Forst (circular textile design, sustainability frameworks, design for disassembly and material recovery, industry-facing circularity research). Researchers will benefit from the research environment at London College of Fashion and the Active Materials Lab, which intersects textile systems and Design+STEM approaches.

Applicants should have a relevant undergraduate or master's degree and a strong interest in design-led research, textiles, material systems, and sustainability. Experience in practice-led research, craft, heritage studies, or rural knowledge is advantageous. No specific funding details are provided. The application deadline is May 11, 2026. For more information and to apply, visit the provided link.