Scientists have shown how wool could offer an effective and sustainable alternative to materials currently used to repair damaged bone. In the new study, keratin—a natural structural protein derived from wool—was shown to support bone regeneration in a living animal, producing bone tissue that more closely resembled natural, healthy bone than the current gold standard.

“We are really excited to show for the first time how a wool-based material has been successfully tested in a living animal to repair bones,” said Dr. Sherif Elsharkawy at King’s Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences.

As well as showing promising performance, the material offers a sustainability advantage, as wool is a naturally derived material and is often a waste product from the farming industry, making it both a renewable and scalable resource.