Naturally Inspiring online seminars

Due to restrictions on face-to-face education because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, AWI has shifted its popular Naturally Inspiring seminars to an online format. This initiative enables tertiary textile and fashion students to learn about the natural properties and benefits of Australian wool as well as various employment opportunities within the industry.

First launched in 2014, AWI’s Naturally Inspiring seminars soon became a must-attend event for tertiary students, with the seminars being held in key textile education hubs across the world.

Despite the lockdowns and limitations on education caused by COVID-19 during the past 12 months, AWI has continued holding the seminars, but now they are held online. They continue to build AWI’s engagement with the next generation of decision makers.

Importantly, the seminars aim to provide the students with a knowledge of and connection with Australian wool which will stay with them as they progress through their professional lives.

From February to April, AWI hosted 21 Naturally Inspiring online seminars, in conjunction with leading fashion and textile universities. The seminars attracted 2,304 attendees across all sessions:

• Japan – six seminars, 1,359 students, which is the largest online education event that AWI has hosted. These seminars were held in conjunction with the leading yarn trade show, The Bishu.
• India – four seminars, 344 students.
• Turkey – five seminars, 134 students.
• UK/EU & USA – one standalone seminar each, 168 students.
• Australia/New Zealand – four seminars, 299 students.

Broadly, the content of the seminars covered Australian wool’s provenance from farm to fashion, the fibre’s benefits and place in contemporary fashion and textiles, the latest wool innovations and technologies, and the importance of sustainability in the industry. However, the program for the seminars was tailored to suit the requirements of each country.

Expert presenters

The seminars not only offered students the chance to learn about wool and the numerous ways to work with the fibre, but it also gave exclusive insights into the fashion, retail and textile industries from experts in the field, with each presenter bringing to the mix their own career journey.

For example, as well as AWI staff, the presenters were from companies including from:

• Japan: spinning mill and a knitwear manufacture Saton Seni, fitness apparel company Super Natural, retail creatives Firsthand / 2G Creative, and ethical fashion company Unisteps.
• India: textile manufacturers Raymond Textiles and Jaya Shree Textiles, wool footwear brand Neeman’s, natural dye manufacturer BioDye and Bhuttico Weavers Cooperative Society.
• Turkey: woven fabric supplier Kıvanç Tekstil, men’s clothing brand Ramsey, women’s clothing brand NİHAN PEKER and the Textile Engineering Department of Pamukkale University.

The UK/EU and USA seminars featured Sheila-Mary Carruthers of Carruthers Associates, an experienced design-led practitioner who has worked across the global supply chain and supported countless industry projects to raise awareness of wool’s benefits. At the seminars, Shelia-Mary’s aim was to inspire the next generation of creative thinkers, provide counsel on career opportunities, and outline technology advances and innovations that reduce textile’s impact on the planet. Sheila-Mary also presented at the Indian and Australia/New Zealand seminars.

Australia/New Zealand seminars

The seminars in Australia for the first time included New Zealand institutions as well as Australian ones. The topics were designed by head lecturers, and teachers are incorporating some of the sessions into their course work.

As well as a seminar on sustainability presented by Sheila-Mary Carruthers and seminar on wool technologies presented by AWI’s Product and Education Extension Manager in Japan, Tomohiro Nishizawa, there was a seminar on regenerative agriculture presented by Tasmanian superfine woolgrowers Vanessa Dunbabin of ‘Bangor’ at Dunalley and Simon Cameron of ‘Kingston’ at Conara.

There was also a seminar on the suitability of wool for the circular economy and how businesses can adapt to the circular economy by using the fibre. Teachers and students taking part in AWI’s Wool4School initiative were also invited to this seminar. It was presented by Clare Press, founder of The Wardrobe Crisis, a sustainable fashion podcast and online magazine.

The fifth seminar, titled ‘Indigenous endeavours’ had a very Australian flavour. Supported by the National Museum Australia and its Piinpi exhibition of contemporary indigenous fashion, the seminar delved into the cultural inspirations, design methods and sustainability practices of indigenous fashion businesses.

More information: The seminars were recorded and are being made available on AWI’s online Woolmark Learning Centre (www.woolmarklearningcentre.com) for other students across the world to view.

This article appeared in the June 2021 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged, however prior permission must be obtained from the Editor.