The Woolmark Company

Do you know how wool is processed? Mapping wool’s passage throughout the supply chain is becoming increasingly important as conscious consumers demand to know where and how their product was made. Our Introduction to Wool Processing course on the Woolmark Learning Centre explores the source of wool (sheep) and the process of harvesting wool (shearing, classing, baling and transport). This course also covers the testing procedures carried out on raw wool to determine its value and explains how the raw wool is sold and ultimately transformed through the supply chain. Start the free course: https://ow.ly/cqIw50V1IBt

Join us at Performance Days' dedicated Wool Area this March, Hall C4, to connect with our wool partners and expert team to explore the latest Merino wool innovations redefining sports performance. Get a first look at the latest edition of The Wool Lab, with two books dedicated to the sportswear industry, showcasing the latest commercially available wool fabrics and yarns. Book an appointment: https://ow.ly/h3q550V1GIe

The Woolmark+ Nature Positive Farming Framework is a science-based set of practical metrics for the fashion and textile industry to measure and report environmental outcomes on wool farms. This framework presents 12 environmental metrics that will provide brands with the opportunity to source wool from Australian woolgrowers committed to soil, biodiversity, climate and water. The next phase of the framework’s development focuses on operationalising these metrics, and will run through to June 2025, paving the way for a harmonised approach to reporting on environmental performance in wool production. Explore the metrics: https://ow.ly/BRkQ50V121Y

How can Merino wool support athletes with disabilities? Since winning the 2022 Woolmark Performance Challenge Adaptable Innovation Award, Chloe Jerolaman has been incorporating Merino wool into her innovative designs. Chloe's Woolmark Performance Challenge concept, developed for athletes with prosthetics, focused on creating garments that help the body move naturally and prevent injury from asymmetrical gait patterns. Her adaptive design mimics the compression benefits of kinesiology tape, while also harnessing the unique advantages of Merino wool blends. Since then, Chloe has graduated with a Bachelor of Fashion Design, showcasing a senior capstone collection that featured Merino wool and natural dyes. Her success in the Adaptable Innovation Award also led to an internship with Salomon. Today, Chloe continues to fuel her passion for Merino wool, working at a yarn studio where she hand dyes, winds, and distributes yarns: “I’m now working for a local yarn studio – we’ve begun to experiment using natural dyes using the wool yarns. The Woolmark Performance Challenge has opened up many doors for me in my professional career and has changed my perspective in design. I am much more conscious of the material selections I make in my projects and always look for ways to share the knowledge,” Chloe says. Registrations for the Woolmark Performance Challenge are now open: https://ow.ly/rzMF50UZ5XT

Wool isn’t just for the colder months, the wool fibre’s unique properties make it a highly effective choice for summer wear, too. But how does it work? The science behind wool’s performance in hot weather lies in the wool fibre’s structure. Wool fibres are made up of tiny scales that trap air and moisture, creating an insulating layer that helps regulate body temperature. When temperatures rise, wool can absorb moisture (up to 30% of its own weight) and releasing it into the air. This process of evaporative cooling reduces heat build-up, keeping the body at a comfortable temperature, an excellent advantage for summer wear. These are just some of the natural characteristics that make wool an ideal fabric for warm-weather garments, offering a lightweight, breathable option that combines comfort with performance. Explore wool for your summer designs from The Wool Lab: https://ow.ly/ZgFA50UZ5PH (Sources: Rae and R. Bruce, The Wira Textile Data book, Leeds: The Wool Industries Research Association, 1973, A64; Speakman J. B & Cooper C. A. The Adsorption of Water by Wool, Part I – Adsorption Hysteresis, Journal of the Textile Institute Transactions; Urquhart, Alexander Robert BSc, A.I.C. and Williams, Alexander Mitchell M.A., DSc. The effect of temperature on the absorption of water by soda boiled cotton, Journal of the Textile Institute Transactions, 1924, 15:12.)

Turning textile waste into valuable resources, Woolmark licensee Youngone Corporation is transforming discarded knit fabrics into high-quality recycled wool fibres. This vertical operation takes waste knitted fabric after cutting and restores it to its original form, before spinning the wool and using flatbed knitting to create sweaters from recycled wool. With a blend of 45% recycled wool fibre, 40% virgin wool, and 15% nylon, Youngone’s recycled wool blend yarns come in yarn counts like 1/8Nm and 2/28Nm, catering to the growing demand for recycled fibres and contributing to the circular economy. Backed by GRS certification, Youngone has developed recycled yarns that meet Woolmark certification standards, and are now available for commercial production. Learn more about the Woolmark Recycled Wool product specification: https://ow.ly/gTIS50UYi7I

Will you be at VIATT Vietnam from 26-28 February at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre? Visit us at the Econogy Hub, Booth B-A11, to discover the latest trend-inspired fabrics and yarns available through The Wool Lab and the quality assurance behind the iconic Woolmark logo. Expand your sourcing network in Vietnam with our latest sourcing guide featuring spinners, weavers, knitters and manufacturers across key categories including sports performance, workwear, apparel, interiors and more. Book a meeting: https://ow.ly/fhB850UXhz6

Energy was high as 140 students recently gathered at Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) for their Woolmark Performance Challenge kick-off event. Led by industry experts Frances Venneri (IED Professor), Christopher Hillard (Media Relations Manager, Alpinestars), and Birgit Gahlen (R&D Manager Europe, Woolmark), the session explored the power of wool from its performance properties to the fibre’s role in cutting-edge product innovation as it relates to this year's competition brief. With curiosity sparked and creativity flowing, the competition is now in full swing and we look forward to seeing the next generation of wool innovations come to life. Learn more about the Woolmark Performance Challenge, here: https://ow.ly/xePq50UVniZ

Every element of the wool fibre impacts its natural performance attributes. The highly complex structure of the wool fibre involves many components, which differ both physically and chemically. While the fibre may be 15 – 45μm in diameter and several centimetres long, the smallest component may be as tiny as 1 nanometre in diameter. Our free Wool Fibre Science course explores the implications of the structure, physics and chemistry of the wool fibre in terms of the properties and benefits of wool products. Start the course today: https://ow.ly/fAbw50USWM9

Step into the future of comfort with warp knit seamless technology as part of The Wool Lab’s latest theme: Knitwear. Explore WKS™ options, an advanced technology that creates 3D seamless garments knitting in one piece, without the need for further sewing. Body mapping with WKS™ technology allows the design and knit of functional areas without transitional sewing to support natural body movement, building on the wool fibre’s natural breathability and ability to regulate temperature. Less seams. More comfort next to the skin. Discover the versatility, breathability and elegance of the wool fibre elevated by advanced knitting technology, now available for direct sourcing. Explore now: https://ow.ly/60pK50USWfT