Campaign for Wool

The Campaign for Wool, initiated by and with patronage from His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, is a five-year global campaign educating consumers about the fibre's unique natural benefits.

Retailers, fashion designers, manufacturers, woolgrowers and publishers are supporting the Campaign, aiming to reconnect consumers with the versatility of wool, from luxurious next to skin Merino apparel to the safety and comfort of natural carpet.

The initiative is funded by Commonwealth wool bodies including AWI.

The Campaign has had great success and continues to be rolled out across lucrative markets around the world. It has been instrumental in driving a new demand for wool on an international scale.

2015

2015 saw the completion of the Campaign for Wool’s sixth year, as the global initiative continues to encourage manufacturers, retailers and designers of apparel and interior products to choose wool and educate consumers about the fibre’s environmental benefits.

The campaign’s Wool Weeks were held during the northern hemisphere autumn/winter in key global markets across the world including the UK, Italy, France, the Netherlands, China and Japan. Australia hosted its annual Wool Week in May, timed to coincide with the start of its own winter retail season.

Wool Weeks involve a series of events, including the campaign’s retail partners helping to educate consumers about the natural benefits of wool and increase sales of wool product. Retail supporters created beautiful in-store installations and window displays to help sell more wool.

2014

2014 saw the completion of the Campaign for Wool’s fifth year. The Campaign for Wool was celebrated on an unprecedented scale this year across international consumer markets (including the UK, China, France, Germany, Japan, Belgium, The Netherlands, Korea) generating global editorial coverage worth more than $71 million, up from $40 million in 2013 and $24 million in 2012.

More than 400 global retail partners participated in the 2014 campaign with promotional material on display in more than 2500 stores across the world. 4.5 million people were reached through Campaign for Wool media partnerships with Vogue and GQ in China and France.

The Campaign for Wool digital channels continued to reach out to new fans of wool with growth of more than 50 per cent in social channels and over 33 million impressions on Facebook and Twitter during the northern hemisphere Wool Weeks.

Australia held its Wool Week activities in May during the southern hemisphere autumn/winter retail season.

2013

In 2013, the campaign continued to expand globally. Australia, New Zealand and South Africa Wool Week initiatives occurred earlier in the year during the southern hemisphere autumn/winter retail season.

Milan hosted Italy's inaugural Wool Week during September, with promotional and educational initiatives taking place inside and in the windows of the leading Italian department store, La Rinascente. The seven-floor mall was the perfect stage to promote the natural beauty of wool, thanks to the central position of the store, facing the Duomo of Milan, the very heart of the city. One million people pass every day in front of La Rinascente. A highlight was a 40-metre sheep and grass pen set up in front of the department store alongside the Duomo, to highlight the natural origin of wool and offer to consumers an unexpected wool experience.

Other Wool Week activities were held across the northern hemisphere in countries including the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, China, Korea and Spain.

2012

In 2012, the Campaign extended to Asia and the Americas with introduction into countries including USA, France, Korea, Japan. During November, the Campaign Patron, The Prince of Wales, toured Australia and visited a Merino property in Tasmania and a 'Farm to Fashion' event in Sydney. He said that he wanted his visit to help remind people of the importance of wool and woolgrowers to the Australian economy.

2011

In 2011, the Campaign for Wool successfully grew in the UK and was also introduced internationally across key established markets in the Northern Hemisphere (Japan, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and Norway) and into Australia and New Zealand.

2010

The Campaign for Wool officially began in October 2010 in the UK where over 100 companies promoted the natural benefits of wool during Wool Week, and thousands of consumers participated in events and activities. Famously, the iconic London tailoring street Savile Row was converted into pasture on which more than fifty sheep grazed.