
The latest edition of Pitti Imagine Uomo set the stage for sustainably certified wool through a special event with the Campaign for Wool and Cape Wools, which championed the beauty, softness, unique crimp and traceability of South African Merino Wool.
The event, hosted at The British Institute in Florence on 14 January, saw the launch of a new Menswear capsule collection, created by one of South Africa’s best-known design-duo mmusomaxwell, (Maxwell Boko, Mmuso Potsane). As former International Woolmark Prize Winners and recipients of the Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation, and in keeping with their design aesthetic inspired by African heritage and contemporary culture, the ethically-focused label created a series of garments crafted in woollen cloth supplied by Moon, worsted cloth by REDA and knitwear yarns from Gerber & Co (SA).
The presentation also showcased Merino wool fibres, yarns and garment pieces supplied by Moon, Knoll Yarns, Gerber & Co, Core Merino, Lukhanyo Mdingi and Viviers, all selected to demonstrate South African Merino’s versatility, durability, soft handle, colour and lustre, to retailers, designers, buyers, specifiers and brands in attendance. Each innovative garment and design presented celebrates heritage, craftsmanship and local knowledge, sourced from different regions of South Africa cementing South Africa’s rightful place on the global fashion stage.
South Africa is home to around 8,000 commercial wool farmers, and just over 45,000 individual communal farmers. These communal farmers do not own their own land, and they farm on land allocated to them to run their sheep. They are dependent on their source of income from wool, which plays a very important role in ensuring the livelihoods of these communities.
mmusowaxwell
Peter Ackroyd, the new Chairman of Campaign for Wool
Deon Saayman, Chief Executive Officer, Cape Wools
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