Warm up at Wool Week
Woolmark’s Wool Week is upon us: a week-long celebration of all things wool in textiles, apparel and homewares, from May 24 to June 3. Born from Woolmark’s global Campaign for Wool, the week is all about the promotion of wool in all its greatness - from the woolgrower, all the way to you.
With the growing focus on sustainability and environmental awareness in fashion, wool is an underappreciated go-to: it’s natural, biodegradable and the most renewable, recyclable and reusable fibre out there. Australia is responsible for producing around 90 per cent of fine apparel wool, and Australian Merino wool is considered particularly superior due to its unique qualities: its fibres create fabric that is softer, shinier and more breathable than any other wool.
Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) CEO Stuart McCullough said in a press release that Wool Week is important for reminding Aussie shoppers of the amazing fibre, “Wool Week aims to reconnect consumers with the versatility and natural benefits of Australian wool and encourages conscious purchasing decisions … As global consumers become more concerned with the story behind a product - where, what and how it was made - the fibre’s natural, renewable and biodegradable properties are today more important than ever before.”
Westfield shopping centres are collaborating with Woolmark and AWI for Wool Week, with 39 centres across Australia and New Zealand promoting wool-focused winter campaigns. Nine of these will come alive with displays, exhibitions and events. Westfield Sydney will feature a live knitting installation by artist Natalie Miller, while the Bondi Junction mall will hold interior design workshops with LuMu Interiors. Wool Week will also host extreme knitting workshops with the acclaimed Jacqueline Fink at the Art Gallery of NSW, tying into their The Lady and the Unicorn exhibition, which features wool-based masterpieces.
And Westfield isn’t forgetting the importance of the wool origin story, either. In a promotional video, they interviewed the northern NSW wool-growing family Dave and Skye Ward.
Skye explains that Wool Week is about connecting the legacy, family, retailer and consumer: “The family’s been here for over 100 years and our children are the sixth generation to live here… I think it’s a great collaboration between Westfield and AWI to really showcase wool, and to really tell the story to consumers about the wonderful fibre it is”.
So, what are you waiting for? Hit up Westfield’s Facebook for more details - or, if the week’s festivities have inspired you to update your winter wardrobe and support the wool industry at the same time, check out our roundup of the hottest (and cosiest) trends in wool apparel this season, below. Think graphic knit sweaters, luxurious coats in bold patterns and colours, strappy skirts and blazers featuring buckles and belts, and comfy knit dresses.
