Get to know Sisaltech, a small but growing company passionate about creating a low-carbon future by producing sustainable building insulation made from sisal and wool.

A thread of inspiration

It all started in the late 2000’s, when Managing Director John Ferguson was working in East Africa to upskill small scale farmers around climate change mitigation. During this time, he became aware of the unique and drought resistant fibre crop, sisal, a plant traditionally used to make ropes and sacks, often overlooked by many mainstream industries with the invention of cheap polypropylene and other synthetic fibres.

This sparked an idea to improve upon traditional wool insulation, known for its softness by blending it with sisal fibre, a stiff and rigid fibre. This unique combination offers a better structure and friction fitting, making it suitable for a wider range of applications like wall systems, pet strips and under-suspended timber floors. Whereas wool is typically only used as loft and wall insulation.

A sustainable choice

During the early days of prototyping, John and his small team experimented with various natural fibres such as cotton, jute and wood fibre, however, wool was chosen as the main component due to its thermal and acoustic performance advantages.

Sisaltech are forging a path towards a sustainable future by using recycled materials where possible. They source recycled sisal fibre from coffee sacks donated by coffee roasters and cafes from all over Scotland, and they obtain recycled wool from various sources including Harris Tweed, the carpet making industry and textiles from waste clothing. By using recycled materials, Sistaltech reduces its carbon footprint and contributes to the circular economy.

One of the challenges in the circular space is ensuring a consistent supply of raw materials. Sisaltech remain agile and adaptable, working with a variety of sources allowing them to respond to market demands and reduce waste from other industries.

Sisaltech is primarily used in retrofit projects, especially within a domestic setting. Their product is known for its sustainability, safety and vapour permeability, making it a suitable solution for traditional pre-1919 stone buildings. It’s also commonly used for underfloor insulation due to its structural integrity and ease of installation. They were chosen to be a part of BE-ST's Materials Accelerator in 2023.

Scaling up

When it comes to ramping up the use of natural materials like SisalWool, there are challenges related to cost and awareness. Natural fibre insulation products are typically more expensive than synthetic alternatives. But when it comes to considering the holistic advantages, such as improved thermal mass and vapour permeability, long-term benefits are far more substantial than the initial costs.

When it comes to raising awareness of the use of natural insulation, Sisaltech believes that both top-down government policies and bottom-up efforts are required to educate people about the benefits of natural fibre insulation. They also emphasise the importance of measuring and taxing the embodied carbon of building materials to drive the change towards more sustainable options.

In the future, Sisaltech hopes to grow and ramp up its operations by setting up its own production facility in Scotland. By establishing their facility, they will have greater control over the manufacturing process and be able to meet the increasing demand for SISALWOOL™ batts and loft roll. This move reflects their ambition and commitment to tackling climate change, and with their focus on 100% natural fibre materials, Sisaltech is set to make a significant impact in the market and contribute to the transition to more sustainable building practices.