The Scent of Tradition

There’s a personal touch that goes into a family business, a love for what they do that can only be described as wholesome. This may be why people feel naturally drawn to family businesses, at least that’s the case with Western Australia’s Scanlan Wools.

Scanlan Wools, also commonly known as Swoolly, has an amazing history that’s well worth celebrating. With five decades, five daughters, and four generations to their name, Swoolly is a family-owned business that consistently shows excellence in what they do. Their experience and passion for quality comes together and proves to be a recipe for some of the finest wools in the area. 

The Swoolly warehouses are filled with mountains of raw, waxy, clumped-up wool that give off the smell of hundreds of barnyard animals. Though these piles of wool aren’t the nicest thing to experience, a lot of love and care goes into treating them. They’re cleaned and processed to turn these matted piles into one of the most versatile and comfortable materials in the world.

What might be more impressive is the level of care that goes into treating these piles of messy wools. With so many different varieties, you have to rely on your sense of  touch to different and sort them. That’s the kind of commitment you can only get from people who care about their craft and always try to give their best.

Peter and Margaret Scanlan, the current team behind the Scanlan Wools, run their family business with a culture that emphasizes the value of personal connection. For them, business is all about building relationships – from family members to their staff, the farmers and clients they work with, and even to their local community. Anyone is welcome to stop by the warehose during lunch and join them to have a meal together. 

But Swoolly’s greatest strength has been the ability to evolve with the times while still preserving that Scanlan tradition. With the full trust and confidence of Peter and Margaret, the sisters work creatively to always take Scanlan Wool to the next level. 

This personal touch has made Swoolly a timeless business. People love Scanlan Wool for their commitment to quality and community, making them a treasured company within their industry. People love them so much, that when the family wanted to replace their old “Scanlan Wool” sign, they were advised against it by the sign-makers. They said the old sign with its rusted edges and peeled paint was iconic and showed the rich history of the family business. So there the sign still rests to this day, marking the main entrance to this much-beloved family business.

This is home.

A place they grew up,

A place they work,

And a place where they celebrate love and togetherness.

Welcome to Scanlan Wool.