24 April 2023

WOOL NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE

The Campaign for Wool comes together with Savile Row Bespoke and its Supporters to celebrate The Coronation of King Charles III. This activity culminates in 1 mile of wool bunting, and over 15 miles of wool fabric used across the event procession.

As Patron of The Campaign for Wool which was convened by His Majesty King Charles III when he was HRH The Prince of Wales in January 2010, wool is more important today, moreover as climate change and plastic over consumption hits the headlines, requesting all of us to be more considerate in our choices.

As a community initiative, the neighbourhood of Savile Row, Clifford Street, Old Burlington Street and parts of St James’s will celebrate The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III with over a mile of bunting. Created by apprentice tailors in each company the bunting uses red, white and blue wool Melton fabric from AW Hainsworth, a fabric historically used in the iconic red military uniforms. The displays will be installed and feature from 24th April through to May. Participants taking part in the stand-out display are listed below*. In addition to the wool bunting there will be celebratory window displays highlighting positive benefits and natural properties of wool:

• Wool is biodegradable, sustainable and renewable, and the bunting is re-usable an will be used for future events

• The bunting is fixed with wool rope, from Sustainable Rope – the joint winner of the Innovation in Wool Award 2022

• Core kits for each company have been put together by Savile Row Bespoke

• The bunting is handmade by apprentice tailors from each participating company

“Savile Row has had a very long relationship with The Royal Household. To celebrate The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, the cutters and tailors put their skills to work to create bespoke woollen bunting from remnant Melton cloth from Hainsworth – a British mill with a remarkable heritage across the decades and especially with the military uniforms. With over a mile of wool bunting, it will hang from 100% wool rope ensuring the bunting will be completely biodegradable, plastic-free and reusable. Primarily using the apprentice tailors from each company to make the bunting, the project also involved non Savile Row Bespoke tailors and retailers, this has been a project close to everyone’s hearts for a once-in-a lifetime and very special occasion.’ Anda Rowland, Chair Savile Row Bespoke

The Campaign for Wool is King Charles’s personal initiative as Prince of Wales, launched to assist wool growers from throughout the Commonwealth to challenge the rise of toxic synthetic fibres in the worlds of fashion and the built environment. As Patron, over the past decade of the Campaign, the then Prince of Wales has visited numerous regions of the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa to engage with wool growers on how best to explain the distinct environmental excellence and ecological benefits of wool in all its end uses. The occasion of The Coronation in Westminster Abbey, to be witnessed throughout the Commonwealth and the rest of the world, will be a unique opportunity to showcase some obvious and some less-known properties of wool. /2

“Wool will be used in virtually every part of the Coronation, from beginning to end. The 6,000 military, naval and airforce personnel from the UK and Commonwealth will wear uniforms made from 15 miles of wool uniform fabric. in addition, there will be formal dress, regalia and vestments, red carpets, hassocks and alter cloths, wool-filled saddles and blankets, undercrofts and ceilings cladded in wool for essential non-flammable insulation, canopies and awnings, casement linings for organs, pianos, and percussion instruments, to mention just the essentials in evidence on the day, will all have been crafted in sustainable wools from across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.” Sir Nicholas Coleridge CBE DL, Chairman of the Campaign for Wool.

Historically wool has been used in many Royal events and is used for its natural performance benefits for clothing, interiors and other more unusual products. It is anticipated for wool to feature predominantly as part of The Coronation and to play an integral part across multiple applications, each use highlights wool’s many natural performance benefits of comfort, crease resistance, moisture management and breathability, sound absorption and reproducibility, safety, longevity, versatility and durability. The Patron has passionately endorsed the natural benefits and use of wool, issues he raised on the introduction of mainstream plastic use in his student days over 50 years ago. Choosing wool will help to safeguard the planet for future generations.

“It is abundantly clear to me that we need to make changes to the way we think about the production, use and the disposal of clothing and textiles if we are going to get anywhere near to meeting the United Nations climate change goals set for the industry. A major part of that change has to be moving from a linear system to a circular one, where textiles and clothing are produced sustainably, enjoy long use, and are made using natural materials, such as wool, which will biodegrade naturally and quickly at the end of their useful life.”His Majesty King Charles III, quoted when he was His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, Patron Campaign for Wool

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