Small-scale wool production at Xume is marked by diversity in technical features and marketing aspects. This study presents the typology case study conducted at Xume, a rural area of Tsomo in the Intsika Yethu Local Municipality. The objective of the study is to identify traits of the diverse wool production and marketing conditions and to make recommendations regarding development support in areas that need it. The overall goal of the study, as part of the LandCare Programme, is to generate knowledge on wool production by the people of Xume, their practices and conditions that might increase their sources of income. A household classification tree was constructed to differentiate wool producers into those that reared sheep with the purpose of generating income (significant and non-significant) and those that kept sheep with no purpose of generating income. From the classification tree a typology was generated. The typology yielded three types of wool producers namely, sheep keepers, wool growers and commercial woolgrowers. Descriptive statistics were used to explain each type and to see the extent of variability among types. Gross margins indicated that the enterprises had a potential and success was possible for the commercial woolgrowers. Results indicate the following: • sustainability of resource use is the key to successful wool production at Xume. • community involvement is vital in sustaining resource use. • veterinary control is also important in wool production. • wool quality accompanied by skills training is also an important aspect that needs to be given attention after the sustainability of resource use is established. • development initiatives should consider complexity, dynamism, and diversity of farming situation at Xume by continuously reviewing rules and regulations set by the community as part of social capital. • wool production and marketing can create financial stability at Xume through creating jobs. • lastly, it is very important that typology be reviewed regularly in order to commodate changes and developments that take place over time. / Dissertation (MInstAgrar (Agricultural Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

SammanfattningUppsatsen är utformad efter ett förslag från Anders Ryberg vid Länsstyrelsen i Västra Götalands län. Förslaget var att lokalisera användningsområden för den ull som i dagsläget kasseras i Sverige. I början beskriver vi grundläggande fakta om ullfibern för att ge dig som läsare ett bättre begrepp om ullfiberns användningsområden som senare tas upp i arbetet. Detta följs av en beskrivning av de miljöaspekter som ullanvändningen medför, vilket dessutom är viktigt ur en marknadsföringssynpunkt. De ullkvalitéer vi har i Sverige beskrivs därefter kortfattat, följt av en presentation av svenska företag och projekt som arbetar med svensk ull. Därefter beskrivs Australiens, Storbritanniens och Norges ullindustrier. Deras marknadsfringsstrategier och infrastrukturer för ullhantering är viktiga att ta del av om den svenska ullindustrin ska kunna konkurrera i framtiden. Vi har även funnit många intressanta användningsområden för den svenska ullen. Däribland finner vi geotextil, isolering och ull i avfallshantering enklast att producera utifrån de förutsättningar vi har i Sverige. Våra slutsatser är att det krävs en hel del initiativ, framförallt från fårägarna i Sverige, för att skapa en större efterfrågan på svensk ull. Tillvägagångssättet är att skapa infrastruktur för uppsamling och sortering av ullen runtom i landet, sedan marknadsföra ullen med hjälp av information om dess unika egenskaper och positiva miljöaspekter. / <p>AbstractThe thesis is developed from a proposition by Anders Ryberg at the county administration board of Västra Götaland. The proposition was to evaluate new fields of utility for the Swedish wool which today is disregarded. First off we give a basic description of the facts concerning the wool fiber in order for you as a reader to better comprehend how the wool fiber applies in different fields of utility, which is brought up later in the thesis. This is followed by a description of the environmental aspects which comes with the usage of wool, which also is important from a marketing point of view. The different types of wool we have in Sweden are then briefly described, followed by a presentation of Swedish companies and projects who are working with Swedish wool. Thereafter we describe the wool industries of Australia, Great Britain and Norway. Their marketing strategies and infrastructures for wool handling are important to acknowledge if the Swedish wool industry are to be able to compete in the future. We have also found many interesting fields of utility for the Swedish wool. Among many we have found geotextile, isolation and wool in waste management the easiest ones to produce looking at the prerequisites we have in Sweden. Our conclusions are that a lot of initiative will be needed, especially from the Swedish sheep owners, to be able to create a larger demand for Swedish wool. The way to go about it is by creating an infrastructure for collecting and sorting of the wool around the country, then implicate marketing with information about the unique abilities of wool and its positive environmental aspects.</p><p>Program: Textil produktutveckling med entreprenörs- och affärsinriktning</p>

This thesis started with the discovery that in Sweden, about 70% of wool, a valuable material, is wasted in 2017. In recent years, a local value chain in Sweden has gained momentum to increase the use of Swedish wool as a circular and sustainable fibre for the textile industry in the country. This thesis aimed at suggesting a strategic approach to strengthen the Swedish wool value chain. To do so, we used the leverage points framework as a systems thinking lens to uncover system dynamics and assess what is most needed in the system through semi-structured interviews. Then, a systematic literature review was conducted to uncover interventions contributing to sustainable transformations in the global wool value chain and suggest a strategic approach for the Swedish case. The key leverage point that emerged as a result of the research is enhancing the capacity to self-organise as a system, which can happen through increasing collaboration, fostering a structure for learning and flows of information. The strategic intervention that we suggested is to establish a ‘connector’ in the system in order to facilitate underway projects as well as collaboration in a national perspective to develop and expand the use of Swedish wool.

Trots att svensk ull är ett biobaserat, lokalt producerat och återvinningsbart material med stor cirkulär potential, kasseras mer än hälften av den svenska ullen som en biprodukt från köttindustrin. Den främsta orsaken är bristen på infrastruktur för inköp, produktion och storskalig insamling samt avsaknaden av standardiserade klassificerings- och kvalitetssäkringsmetoder. År 2023 publicerades den första svenska ullstandarden som en del av The Swedish Wool Initiative för att etablera ett nationellt klassificeringssystem som bygger på tio olika kvalitetstyper från A till I och syftar till att skapa ett gemensamt språk, möjliggöra storskalig insamling och kvalitetssäkring av svensk ull. Trots införandet av denna standard kvarstår flera utmaningar, såsom bristen på praktisk validering och standardens träffsäkerhet vilket leder till osäkerhet längs värdekedjan och produktionskomplikationer. Syftet med studien är att undersöka om ullen från tre svenska ullinsamlingar korrekt kan klassificeras enligt deras egen bedömning. Genom att noggrant granska och analysera ullen utvärderas hur väl den överensstämmer med den nya ullstandarden och hur ull från samma kvalitetstyp skiljer sig mellan leverantörerna. Analysen omfattar fiberkarakerisering baserad på parametrar som fiberlängd, finhet, krusighet, färg, vegetabiliskt material och tvärsnitt. Slutligen används statistiska metoder, inklusive ANOVA, för att identifiera spridning och signifikanta skillnader mellan de undersökta ullsorterna. Resultaten visade på att samtliga ullsorter faller under kvalitetstyp E enligt standardens intervall, men vissa resultat sträcker sig utanför intervallen. En ullsort (Ö1) avvek betydligt i krusighet och kunde potentiellt klassificeras annorlunda om krusighet var en parameter i standarden. Trots stora spridningar i parametrar som finhet, krusighet och fiberlängd, samt färg och vegetabiliskt material, visade ANOVA-analyser ingen signifikant skillnad mellan de olika ullinsamlingarna. Den observerade variationen inom insamlingarna var större än mellan dem, vilket tyder på stor variation i svensk ull utan tydliga skillnader mellan insamlingarna. / Despite being a bio-based, locally produced, and recyclable material with significant circular potential, more than half of Swedish wool is discarded as a byproduct of the meat industry. The main reasons for this are the lack of infrastructure for procurement, production, and large-scale collection, as well as the absence of standardized classification and quality assurance methods. In 2023, the first Swedish wool standard was published as part of The Swedish Wool Initiative to establish a national classification system based on ten different quality types from A to I. This initiative aims to create a common language, enable large-scale collection, and ensure the quality of Swedish wool. Despite the introduction of this standard, several challenges remain, such as the lack of practical validation and the accuracy of the standard, leading to uncertainty along the value chain and production complications. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the wool from three Swedish wool collections can be correctly classified according to their own assessment. By carefully examining and analyzing the wool, the study evaluates how well it conforms to the new wool standard and how wool of the same class differs between suppliers. The analysis includes fiber characterization based on parameters such as fiber length, fineness, crimp, color, vegetable matter, and cross-section. Finally, statistical methods, including ANOVA, are used to identify the distribution and significant differences between the wool types studied. The results showed that all wool types fall under quality type E according to the standard's intervals, but some results extend beyond these intervals. One wool type (Ö1) deviated significantly in crimp and could potentially be classified differently if crimp was a parameter in the standard. Despite large variations in parameters such as fineness, crimp, fiber length, color, and vegetable matter, ANOVA analyses showed no significant difference between the different wool collections. The observed variation within collections was greater than between them, indicating a large variation in Swedish wool without clear differences between the collections.

In the thesis researches of overall performance of the polymerization furnace of Uralasbest plant are executed. The existing thermal scheme and a design of the furnace is considered, thermal calculation is carried out and technical solutions on improvement of thermal and ecological characteristics of the furnace operation are proposed. Researches showed that ecological characteristics mineral-wool production doesn't satisfy to requirements to environmental standards, and for decrease in emissions of nitrogen oxides more effective burner system is proposed. On the basis of the executed measurements and balance calculations technical actions on decrease in thermal losses with the leaving gases are offered. / В диссертации выполнены исследования эффективности работы печи полимеризации цеха ОАО «Ураласбест». Рассмотрена существующая тепловая схема и конструкция печи, проведен тепловой расчет и предложены технические решения по совершенствованию тепловых и экологических характеристик работы печи. Исследования показали, что с точки зрения экологических характеристик минераловатное производство не соответствует требованиям к экологическим нормам, и для снижения выбросов оксидов азота предложена более эффективная горелочных система..На основе выполненных измерений и балансовых расчетов предложены технические мероприятия по снижения тепловых потерь с уходящими газами.

Denna uppsats syftar att utröna om indikationer på produktion av animalprodukter kan observeras i det osteologiska materialet från fastigheten Snauvalds 1:2, Västergarn, Gotland. Dessa produktioner kan vara kött-, mejeri- eller ullproduktion. Undersökningen ämnar även ge en inblick i den dåtida ekonomin genom handeln med animalprodukter. I den osteologiska analysen används ålders- och könsbedömningar samt artidentifiering för att skapa en bild av fördelningen i materialet. Resultaten från analysen har sedan tolkats ur ett ekonomiskt perspektiv för att dra slutsatser kring handeln med och betydelsen av animalprodukter. Resultaten visade att nötkreaturen sannolikt har använts för både mejeri- och köttproduktion. Fåren har troligtvis främst använts för produktion av ull, men även kött. Svinen har enbart fötts upp för sitt kött. Utöver detta dras slutsatsen att varupengar sannolikt varit en viktig del av ekonomin på platsen. Slutligen konstateras det att denna typ av undersökningar ger en unik inblick i det dåtida vardagslivet genom kosthållning och sysselsättning. / This thesis aims to deduce whether indications of the production of animal products can be observed in the osteological material from the property Snauvalds 1:2, Västergarn, Gotland. These productions can consist of meat-, dairy- or wool production. It also aims to provide an insight into ancient economy through the trade in animal products. In the osteological analysis age and sex assessment as well as species identification are used to establish a pattern of distribution. The results from the analysis have then been interpreted from an economic perspective to draw conclusions about the trade in and importance of animal products. The results showed that the cattle have likely been used for both dairy and meat production. The sheep were probably mainly used to produce wool, but also meat. The pigs were raised solely for their meat. In addition to this, it’s concluded that commodity money likely was an important part of the economy at the site. Lastly, it’s stated that this type of research provides a unique insight into everyday life through dietary choices and occupation.