Chimney Sheep has been selected as one of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce’s 25 Business Heroes, celebrating the Chamber’s 25th anniversary.
The campaign shines a spotlight on Chamber members from across the county. This isn’t a definitive list – there are many other great businesses we could have included – but a celebration of just some our many fantastic members making a difference to Cumbria.
Founded 14 years ago, Chimney Sheep began with a simple idea: to stop unused chimneys from drawing warm air out of homes. The company developed a draught excluder made from felted Herdwick wool, creating the original Chimney Sheep – a sustainable product designed to help households save energy while supporting local wool producers.
What started as a one-person business has grown into a team of 10 full-time employees, with an extensive range of sustainable products.
“I’m passionate about the environment,” said founder Sally Phillips. “I’m proud of the fact that I’ve developed an energy-saving product that is manufactured sustainably, that employs 10 people and contributes to significant tree planting in the local area, which in turn supports more jobs.”
More than 250,000 Chimney Sheep have now been sold – representing more than 250,000 Herdwick fleeces – while helping households reduce heat loss from unused chimneys.
The business buys around 30 tonnes of wool directly from local farmers each year, helping to create a consistent market for Herdwick wool. It also operates alongside its not-for-profit enterprise, Buy Land Plant Trees CIC, supporting tree planting and wider environmental work.
The journey hasn’t been without challenges. Brexit made direct sales to customers across Europe financially unviable and created additional compliance costs, while the cost-of-living crisis has made it harder to promote products that require customers to spend money upfront to make savings over time.
Despite this, Chimney Sheep has continued to grow, expanding its range to include sustainable garden products and replenishable items, while maintaining a strong focus on customer service.
Looking ahead, the business is preparing to launch moth-proofed pure wool rugs using Ionic Protect plasma treatment, which has been successfully used on Chimney Sheep products for several years. It’s also cautiously optimistic about returning to European markets through Amazon marketplaces.
For Sally, the people behind the business remain central to Chimney Sheep’s success.
