‘Make a Difference – Choose Wool’ this Wool Week
The Campaign for Wool’s annual Wool Week will kick off with an extended programme of events and interactive consumer moments from the 7th – 20th October. The event aims to champion and educate consumers about the benefits of wool, whilst showcasing innovative and contemporary wool products from this year’s brand partners across fashion and interiors. It is also continuing to showcase and raise awareness of wool as a planet-friendly fibre that biodegrades in the land and in the ocean.
From exclusive exhibitions, screenings and styling events, to limited edition wool sweaters, bed and interior product launches, Wool Week 2019 will celebrate the latest product releases and manufacturing experts in the world of wool.
Details on events and activities courtesy of this year’s brand partners including Brora, John Smedley, Finisterre, Anderson & Sheppard, Raeburn Design, Alternative Flooring, Camira and Hypnos are below:
- Renowned cashmere and wool fashion label Brora has unveiled a limited edition sweater which has been exclusively designed for Wool Week by student, Jasmine Cook from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, University of Dundee. Jasmine is the winner of the brand’s annual design competition, where 25 students were asked to create knitwear inspired by textile artist, Anni Albers. Jasmine’s design is available online and in Brora stores nationwide throughout Wool Week and retails at £145
To celebrate Wool Week, Brora will also be hosting styling events in a number of branches, including an event in the Sloane Square store on the 10th October with founder, Victoria Stapleton. Additional events will be taking place in locations including Harrogate, Edinburgh, Oxford and Bath throughout October
- Shaun The Sheep Farmageddon from Aardman will be launching activities for families in time for Wool Week, ahead of its main UK release on 18 October. Shaun the Sheep Farmageddon Glow Trails will launch with Forestry England open to all, as part of a collaboration with The Woolmark Company and Studio Canal. The film will also be screened for hospital patients across the UK with the charity Medi-cinema and the studio. A short special edition animation film has been created that is being used as an education platform for wool’s Super Natural Benefits. Products to allow children to experience the softness and skin benefits of wool for themselves are being provided from Smalls and Mama Owl. Shaun the Sheep branded taxis will also be seen throughout Wool Week in London
- Bespoke tailor, Anderson & Sheppard has exclusively collaborated with survival expert John Hudson to create the ultimate survival sweater, which is available in three colourways. In order to stay warm, dry and therefore stay alive, wool is the most effective fibre and the launch aims to celebrate wool’s versatility and warming benefits in an outdoor environment. Even today military aircrew wear wool under their dry suits and the fibre can retain up to 70% of its thermal insulation when wet, making it perfect for survival. To promote the partnership, John Hudson and Anderson & Sheppard will be hosting a launch event on the 15th October
- To celebrate the brand’s 235th anniversary, iconic knitwear label, John Smedley has released a line of knitwear, which is available for Wool Week. The three piece range consists of a women’s sweater, men’s sweater and scarf in versatile cream and brown colourways. All of the wool used in this is made within a 450 mile radius using Bluefaced Leicester wool. To mark the anniversary the label is hosting an event during Wool Week on the 17th October with musician, journalist and cheese-maker Alex James
- For Wool Week 2019 sustainable brand, Smalls, has released a childrenswear collection in collaboration with New York-based baby and kids brand, Oeuf. The limited-edition ‘Under Pressure’ OeufxSmalls range features an innovative print of planet earth highlighting the importance of sustainable fashion. Available in Smalls’ Long Sleeve Tee in Misty Rose, Mustard and Natural from ages 2 – 14 years, this will be available from Wool Week onwards
- Outdoor apparel experts, Finistere, has launched one of the world’s most eco-friendly fleeces — made from recycled wool and recycled manmade fibres in a wool-rich blend. The fleece developed in 1979 by Patagonia and a Massachusetts’ textile mill to mimic the best qualities of wool became the uniform of choice for the environmentally savvy in the 1980s and 1990s. But new evidence showing that they are shedding microfibres like no other fabric has led to a dramatic rethink. The National Trust has banned its trademark fleece from its shops and as the uniform of its 10,000 workers. Now Finistere, who launched 16 years with a fleece, has come full circle and has developed a co-natural wool alternative
- London-based start-up, Sheep Inc, is launching the world’s first pro-climate ‘carbon negative’ jumper, a wool jumper that takes out 10 times as much greenhouses gases as was used in its making – and includes adopting the sheep from which the wool was taken. The supply chain is so transparent that a NFC chip on the hem of the jumper can be scanned using a smartphone allowing the owner to trace the wool back to the actual sheep from which it was sheared. The jumper launches on 2nd October
- The Campaign for Wool is supporting ‘Weaving The Future’ a new exhibition commissioned by the Saltaire Festival, where a number of products from this year’s retail partners will be on display. Weaving the Future is an exhibition of film, photography and artefacts that explores how the innovative spirit that once powered the textile industry is alive and well, as textile technologies are transformed for the 21st century. It will be staged at the iconic Salts Mill as the flagship arts event of the annual festival, now in its 17th year
- Camira has launched their new interior fabric range Yoredale, taking its name from the ancient title of Wensleydale. Woven from British wool, blending rich history with a contemporary appeal, its bouclé style yarn includes a contrasting black binder, creating subtle details within the weave that brings added depth to its saturated tones
- The British Blanket Company will be offering discounts across their throws and picnic blankets throughout Wool Week too
- Interiors brand Hypnos Beds has also launched a new collection for Wool Week, which uses up to 8 British wool sheep fleeces from Red Tractor assured farms – as part of a commitment to sustainability
- Wool Stair Art has been launched by Alternative Flooring, including collaborations with Margo Selby, Jamie Watkins and Tom Kennedy of Divine Savages, and Ella Doran
- Raeburn Design are celebrating their 10th anniversary with a two-week wool activation using archive AW Hainsworth wool pieces and educating consumers through screenings of ‘Woven in Time’ with scoured wool, roving, yarn and fabric on display
- A series of ‘woolly’ workshops are being held by Make Town over Wool Week
- A competition, promoted through 350 stores nationwide, is being run by Carpetright to win a stay at the Country Living Hotel, when 100% wool Country Living carpet is purchased from their range
Peter Ackroyd, COO of the Campaign for Wool said, “The focus, and messaging, will be to invite consumers to ‘Make A Difference and to Choose Wool’ or to ‘Check it’s Wool’ by the choices they make. We can all make a small difference and accumulatively this can only help the plastic issue we are facing globally.
Every year sheep produce a new fleece; making wool a natural, renewable fibre source. Wool has inherent natural biodegradable properties in the land and ocean to benefit the planet which is choking from waste plastic, man-made and micro-fibres. Shoppers can all make a difference by choosing wool to help safeguard the planet for future generations.”
For more information about the Campaign for Wool visit: www.campaignforwool.org and for events and workshop listings visit www.campaignforwool.org/wool-week-events
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