Prince promotes wool to textile trade
Ten years on from his launch of the Campaign for Wool, HRH The Prince of Wales delivered a personal recorded message at the influential Pitti Immagine Uomo apparel trade show in Italy, reiterating the importance for the planet that consumers choose products made from natural fibres like wool rather than man-made fibres.
Ten years on from his launch of the Campaign for Wool, HRH The Prince of Wales delivered a personal recorded message at the influential Pitti Immagine Uomo apparel trade show in Italy, reiterating the importance for the planet that consumers choose products made from natural fibres like wool rather than man-made fibres.
To launch the first day of the Pitti Immagine Uomo apparel trade show in Florence, Italy, the Patron of The Campaign for Wool, HRH The Prince of Wales, delivered a personal recorded message promoting the natural benefits and eco-credentials of wool.
The message was showcased both at the Pitti Uomo opening ceremony, and at an evening reception for key industry, media, bloggers and influencers that was hosted by the Campaign for Wool in collaboration with The Woolmark Company and The British Institute.
The Campaign for Wool was initiated in 2010 by HRH The Prince of Wales to raise awareness amongst consumers about the unique, natural, renewable and biodegradable benefits offered by the fibre. The initiative encourages collaboration between an international community of woolgrowers, major fashion designers, retailers, manufacturers and interior designers.
The Campaign has been instrumental in educating consumers about the versatility of wool, and reconnecting them with its myriad uses – from luxurious fine Merino wool apparel through to beautiful hardwearing interior products for the home.
Here is an extract from HRH The Prince of Wales’ message:
“It is hard to believe that it is now more than 10 years since I first inaugurated my Campaign for Wool at, what I knew was, a particularly challenging time for this important rural sector.
“My hope was, that if all the wool producing nations could come together and work in a spirit of cooperation perhaps we could find better ways to market this extraordinarily practical and versatile fibre, and at the same time help so many hard pressed sheep farmers.
“It is now even clearer to me, than it was then, that natural materials which are not made from fossil fuels, are not inflammable and which biodegrade naturally have an important part to play as we face up to the enormous challenges of climate change.
“So I am delighted that the message of wool’s inherent sustainability is being celebrated over the coming days [at Pitti Immagine Uomo], and that in all its diverse end uses wool will be highlighted as the fibre of ecological choice.
“The fact that over 1,000 global brands have now joined the Campaign for Wool suggests that the messages of sustainability and biodegradability and the persuasive case for choosing natural rather than synthetic fibres are finally starting to get through to people. They are asking searching questions about the provenance and content of current fashion, and everything inside their homes. Only wool provides the ultimate reassurance of sustainability.”
Peter Ackroyd, COO of the Campaign for Wool, welcomed guests to the evening event, reiterating HRH The Prince of Wales’ message that wool is the only natural fibre that has a plethora of benefits that can make a difference to the current world situation of landfill and ocean pollution, as well as performance properties that are inherent to wool without the need for chemical treatments.
“For our own survival we desperately need to continue with the Campaign for Wool education program to the global community about the perils of plastic and the breakdown into micro-fibres that are contaminating the planet by the continued use of man-made fibres and products,” Mr Ackroyd said.
This article appeared in the March 2020 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged, however prior permission must be obtained from the Editor.
