The WoolSafe Organisation
Business & Trade Services, Business of the Week, Furniture & homeware, Other services
Some Otley businesses wear their success proudly on the high street. Others quietly get on with changing the world from behind an unassuming front door.
WoolSafe, based on Boroughgate, definitely falls into the second camp.
While many people stroll past its offices without a second glance, WoolSafe has built a worldwide reputation from right here in Otley, helping everyone from homeowners battling red wine spills to professional carpet cleaners and major manufacturers look after wool properly.
It all makes a surprising amount of sense when you think about it. Yorkshire’s rolling hills and countless sheep have helped give this part of the world a centuries-old connection with wool. But wool can be a little high maintenance. Anyone who has ever turned a favourite jumper into something better suited to a teddy bear after an overenthusiastic washing machine cycle will know exactly what we mean.
Thankfully, WoolSafe exists to stop similar disasters happening to your carpets and rugs.
For more than 25 years, the organisation has been providing expert advice on carpet and rug care, testing cleaning products in its Otley laboratory and helping consumers tackle everything from muddy paw prints to mystery stains that appear after family gatherings. Its website is packed with practical advice, videos, a stain removal wizard and even a free app designed to help save carpets from everyday mishaps.
Behind the scenes, WoolSafe also works with manufacturers around the world, independently testing products to ensure they’re both effective and safe to use on wool and other delicate fibres. The organisation also trains professional carpet cleaners through WoolSafe Academy, helping create a network of approved Fibre Care Specialists both in the UK and internationally.
Today, the business is led by Steve Bakker, whose own journey back to WoolSafe is something of a homecoming story. After spending a decade travelling the world, Steve returned to Otley and joined the family business founded by his father in 1991. The company itself grew from the legacy of the former International Wool Secretariat in nearby Ilkley, an organisation that helped establish global standards and promotion for wool products.
It’s another reminder that you never quite know what’s happening behind Otley’s shopfronts. In this case, a Boroughgate business is quietly influencing how wool carpets and rugs are cared for across the globe. Not bad for a company whose day job is helping people avoid carpet-cleaning catastrophes.
- Listing ID: 1627