Floc Roll is the name of a 100 percent wool building material for interior acoustic lining to reduce sound.
The innovative assessment tool is called an Environmental Product Declaration, EPD for short. It is an industry-standard accreditation that compiles data on a product’s environmental sustainability and impact to verify its quality—in this case as a wool building material with potential for use in sustainable construction.
Director of Development and Industry Liaison in the School of Architecture at Te Herenga Waka, Dr Nilesh Bakshi, was responsible for authorising the first EPD for a solely wool-based building product in New Zealand.
“As a researcher focused on sustainable materials, I’ve spent years studying natural fibres like wool—watching the building industry chase flashy high-tech solutions while overlooking one of nature’s smartest, most enduring materials,” says Dr Bakshi.
“That’s why Floc’s EPD—the first ever for a 100 percent wool building product—is so significant. It’s not just a piece of paper. It’s proof that wool can compete on a scientific level with synthetic alternatives.”
The EPD opens the door for wool in construction, Nilesh says, creating demand for farmers and producers beyond fashion and insulation.
“It encourages investment in wool-based products, helping revive and diversify the industry.”
Nilesh likens the EPD accreditation to a warrant of fitness drivers get for their car, one that is also environmentally friendly, with potential to reduce carbon emissions.
“It’s proof that wool can compete, bridging traditional knowledge with innovative sustainability science,” he says.
Floc’s accreditation also presents an opportunity to measurably demonstrate the impact on the building sector, focusing on how it can use natural solutions in place of synthetic or plastic materials, without relying solely on the timber industry.
“Nature-based materials like wool present an opportunity to incorporate carbon-storing materials into our built environment,” Nilesh says.
“As products such as Floc are made entirely from natural fibres, they don’t just reduce environmental impact—they actively lock away carbon that plants have absorbed from the atmosphere. We’re confident we can build on Floc’s success with other materials derived from plants (cellulose-based) and protein-based animal fibres.”
Examples include using hemp to create Hempcrete (blocks or poured walls) and flexible fibre insulation batts; compressed straw bales for load-bearing walls or prefabricated straw panels; and cork, which is harvested from tree bark for thermal and acoustic insulation or flooring.