Visit of Joint Secretary for Inauguration of Renovated State-of-the-Art Facility at WRA, Thane and Technical Session on “Exploring Wool as Green Building Material”

Key Dignitaries Present

Ms Padmini Singla (IAS), Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government Of India
Shri Ravikant Kapur, Chairman Emeritus, WRA, & Vice President, Federation of Indian Export Organisation (FIEO), & Chairman, India Woollen Mills Federation (IWMF), & Chairman Emeritus, Wool Industry Export Promotion Council (WOOLTEXPRO), & Owner, Grentex & Co Pvt. Ltd./ Gokalchand Rattanchand Woollen Mills Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai
Shri S. L. Pokharna, President, Raymond Ltd.
Shri Manmohan Singh, Group Executive President, Grasim Industries Ltd.
Shri G. S. Bhati, Executive Director, Central Wool Development Board (CWDB)
Shri Akhil Khanna, Vice President, WRA & Chairman, Wool Industry Export Promotion Council (WOOLTEXPRO), & Dy. Chairman, India Woollen Mills Federation (IWMF), & Director, SRV Knittech Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore
Shri S. K. Tyagi, Executive Director, Donear Industries Ltd.
Shri. Anjani Prasad, Global Head of Innovation for dyes and speciality chemicals, Archroma India Pvt. Ltd.
Shri H. K. Chatterjee, Director General, WRA
Industry Representatives, Researchers, Speakers and Stakeholders

About the Event

A one-day program was jointly organised by the Central Wool Development Board (CWDB) and Wool Research Association (WRA) to inaugurate the renovated State-of-the-art facility at WRA and a technical session on “Exploring Wool as Green Building Material”. The renovated facility was inaugurated by Ms Padmini Singla (IAS), Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles.

The inauguration session started with the lighting of the lamp by the Chief Guest, Ms Padmini Singla Mam (IAS), Shri. S.L. Pokharna, Shri. Manmohan Singh, Shri. S. K. Tyagi, Shri. G.S. Bhati, Shri. Ravikant Kapur, Shri. Akhil Khanna and Shri. H. K. Chatterjee.

Welcome of Ms Padmini Singla (IAS), Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government Of India, at Wool Research Association (WRA), Thane

Lightening of the Lamp by the Chief Guest, Ms Padmini Singla, IAS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles

(on the dais: From Right to Left: Shri. Manmohan Singh, Shri. Anjani Prasad, Ms Padmini Singla (IAS), Shri. S. L. Pokharna, Shri. Ravikant Kapur, Shri. G. S. Bhati)

The welcome & Opening address were delivered by Shri. H. K. Chatterjee and Shri. G.S.Bhati Respectively. Further, Shri Ravikant Kapur presented the concept behind exploring wool as a green and sustainable material, emphasising the importance of innovation in value-added wool applications.

Welcome Address by Shri. H. K. Chatterjee,
Director General, WRA

Opening Remark by Shri. G.S. Bhati,
Executive Director, CWDB

Concept Note by Shri Ravikant Kapur, Chairman Emeritus, WRA & & Vice President, FIEO & Chairman, IWMF, & Chairman Emeritus, WOOLTEXPRO & Owner, Grentex & Co Pvt. Ltd./ Gokalchand Rattanchand Woollen Mills Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai

Inaugural speech by Ms Padmini Singla, IAS
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles

Ms Padmini Singla, IAS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, addressed the stakeholders present during the event. She appreciated the efforts of the Wool Research Association in promoting innovation and sustainable applications of wool. She highlighted the importance of leveraging natural fibres such as wool in green construction and energy-efficient buildings. During her address, she announced the recognition of the Wool Research Association (WRA) as a “Centre of Excellence for Wool”, acknowledging the organisation’s long-standing contribution to research, technology development and industry support in the wool sector. This recognition is expected to further strengthen WRA’s role in advancing research, skill development and innovative applications of wool for sustainable industrial and environmental solutions.

Ms Padmini Singla, IAS, inaugurated the renovated lab facility and took a walkthrough of the facility, where the WRA team showcased the various testing facilities. The Chief Guest also visited the pilot plant, product incubation centres & product display gallery of the WRA.

Technical Session on “Exploring Indian Wool as Green Building Material”

Post lab inauguration, a technical session was organised focusing on the potential of Indian coarse wool as an environmentally sustainable insulation material for the green building. The session included the dissemination of the findings of the CWDB-sponsored research project and its commercial partner, along with a few presentations from the firms working in the building segment.

The seminar focused on emerging applications of wool beyond conventional textiles, particularly in thermal insulation, acoustic systems, energy-efficient buildings and sustainable building materials. The technical seminar brought together experts from industry, academia, and research to discuss new possibilities for wool in sustainable building.

Shri. Shishir Tyagi, Addl. Joint Director, WRA, presented the CWDB’s sponsored research and development project on utilising Indian coarse wool as a sustainable insulation material for green buildings. The presentation highlighted the scientific validation of wool-based nonwoven insulation panels, demonstrating comparable thermal conductivity and strong acoustic performance against conventional materials like rock wool. He emphasised wool’s natural advantages, such as biodegradability, moisture regulation, fire resistance and improved indoor air quality, while also showcasing successful prototype testing under real climatic conditions at the Kutch region.

Shri. Mahavir Acharya, Director, AINA, presented focused on redefining the wool value chain by integrating traditional knowledge with modern applications through community-driven models. He highlighted the work of AINA and Sahjeevan in promoting decentralised wool processing, particularly in Kachchh, and demonstrated how locally available wool can be transformed into thermal and acoustic insulation products. The session underscored sustainability, livelihood generation for pastoral communities, and the environmental benefits of using desi wool in construction, supported by field data and practical applications.

Shri. Mohak Zanwar, Associate Director, Environmental Design Solutions (EDS) presented the role of natural wool as a sustainable insulation material in modern building design. He explained how wool contributes to energy efficiency, thermal comfort and reduced operational costs while maintaining low embodied carbon and environmental impact. The presentation compared wool with conventional materials, highlighting its superior moisture control, durability and non-toxic nature, making it suitable for green certifications such as LEED and WELL. He also emphasised its lifecycle benefits from renewable sourcing to biodegradable end-of-life.

Ar. Saloni Pawar’s Fort Architects’ presentation brought an architectural perspective, focusing on “breathable spaces” and climate-responsive design. She emphasised the integration of sustainable materials like wool into built environments to enhance occupant comfort and environmental harmony. Through examples of context-sensitive projects, the talk highlighted how design innovation, biomimicry, and material choices can create healthier, energy-efficient, and community-centric spaces aligned with local ecosystems and cultural contexts.

Shri. Keshab Chopra, CEO, Consergy, discussed the commercialisation and large-scale adoption of wool-based insulation solutions. Drawing from extensive industry experience, he outlined market opportunities in residential, commercial, and industrial insulation sectors and identified key challenges with conventional materials, such as environmental impact and disposal issues. He positioned wool insulation as a viable alternative and emphasised Consergy’s role in developing products, establishing manufacturing value chains, and connecting with market stakeholders to enable large-scale deployment and energy-efficient building solutions.

MoU between WRA & Consergy

The session concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between WRA and Consergy, marking a strategic collaboration to advance the commercialisation of wool-based insulation technologies. The MoU aims to combine WRA’s research expertise with Consergy’s industry experience to develop scalable products, establish manufacturing ecosystems and promote market adoption. This partnership is expected to strengthen the value chain of Indian wool, support sustainable construction practices and create economic opportunities for the wool sector.

MoU Signing between Wool Research Association, Thane & Consergy Systems and Technologies LLP, Navi Mumbai

Key Outcomes

The key outcomes of the seminar highlighted the successful demonstration of the technical feasibility of wool-based insulation materials, establishing that they offer performance comparable to conventional synthetic insulation products. The discussions emphasised the environmental advantages of wool, including its biodegradability, low carbon footprint and ability to improve indoor air quality. The seminar also brought attention to the significant potential for value addition of Indian coarse wool, which is currently underutilised, and underscored the importance of strengthening collaboration among research institutions, industry stakeholders, and policymakers to drive innovation and adoption.

Concluding Remarks

The seminar successfully demonstrated the potential of wool as a sustainable, efficient and environmentally friendly building insulation material. It highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts among research institutions, industry stakeholders, policymakers and community organisations to enable large-scale adoption and commercialisation. The discussions concluded with a clear roadmap focusing on scaling up production, standardisation, and pilot implementation.

The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr Mrinal Choudhari, Additional Director, WRA, followed by a networking dinner, providing an opportunity for stakeholders to interact and explore future collaborations.