CSM Fashion and British Wool were joined by students and staff and around 150 guests - graduates, farmers, suppliers, manufacturers, designers, brands and educators. An exhibition curated by Studio Tip showcased a range of wool use in apparel by British and international brands - from long-standing wool fans such as Vivienne Westwood and Barbour; to independent designers like Saul Nash and Charles Jeffrey, and special ranges from global innovators like Adidas.
BA Fashion and BA Textile Design students were spinning, weaving and working on the loom as guests pored over the exhibition and installations. The British Wool team were on hand with their sourcing guides and all kinds of wool samples, statistics and information. Then we headed to the lecture theatre for panel presentations, Q+A discussions - and the launch of the Rituals student project.
The Exchange considered questions around how we can work together to promote the benefits of wool; what more can be done to encourage use of this sustainable, local resource; and how do we get education and awareness out there to clothing manufacturers and consumers about using and buying British wool.
These are the long-term aims:
Wool is the nice guy of the fashion industry with its ecological and practical properties. If not treated with chemicals, it is biodegradable in under a year. It is sustainable and traceable through British Wool, long-lasting, locally produced and self-cleaning, often only requiring outside airing.
British Wool are the main wool supplier in the UK, selling the wool on behalf of 30,000 farmers, hand grading every fleece and aggregating the wool for sale in commercial lots to the British supply chain (about 10 million fleeces per year). It makes it possible for those with even tiny wool outputs to sell their wool.
Designers are pushing the use of wool and sustainable materials. British Wool produce sourcing guides that can help designers choose the right yarns for the designs they are creating and learn how yarns can work in apparel to generate a high value product.
We heard how British wool represents the highest welfare, better than the global certification standards. And from brands who work with wool, we heard about the value of working with small farms, the importance of the British wool tradition and heritage. For industry brands whose businesses are built on selling and producing high standard products, wool brings the integrity of being as close to the source as possible – and their choice to use wool helps sustain the industry for the people of the Outer Hebrides who supply it.
Wool is only used in 1% of apparel production in the UK.
Wool garments are competing with synthetic fibres among consumers – cheap, faux fluffy, fast production, seen as convenient for washing and so on.
Wool prices need to come up: currently prices for wool do not cover the price of shearing the sheep.
Farming wool is challenging: the wet British climate impacts on the conditions needed for a quality wool harvest.
There is a false perception that some wool is only suitable for interiors.
Acting sustainably, specifically pushing for local, ecological solutions in clothing design and manufacture.
Collaboration and storytelling: globally aligning to campaign for wool, recognising the potential for an emotional engagement with wool and connection to farmers and the supply chain.
Sharing the complexity of the process and the factual dynamics of the wool industry, so that wool can be understood as an investment and a value, something to be loved and to keep, rather than an expense. An alternative to throwaway.
The role of education: giving students the opportunity to learn first-hand directly from the source about the use of wool, through visits to UK sheepfarms and suppliers and curricular projects.
Thank you to our speakers: Penny Chantler, Romney sheep farmer from Hay-on-Wye, HerefordshireGraham Clark, Marketing Director at British WoolKyle Llewellyn Chapin, Senior Knitwear Designer at Vivienne WestwoodMark Hogarth, Brand Ambassador at Harris Tweed, HebridesDenise Lewis, Knitwear Technician, Central Saint MartinsHelen Eckersley, Knitwear Product Manager at Margaret Howell
Chaired by Dal Chodha, Editor and Pathway Leader, BA Fashion Communication and Promotion, Central Saint Martins.
The Wool Exchange was the first event under the newly formed M School at Central Saint Martins, that brings together our fashion and textile programmes.