The Wool Lab, Transforms For More Collaboration
The world’s best-known inspirational tool dedicated to wool evolves for Spring/Summer 2021, with The Wool Lab transforming to better collaborate with the entire textile supply chain.
The world’s best-known inspirational tool dedicated to wool evolves for Spring/Summer 2021, with The Wool Lab transforming to better collaborate with the entire textile supply chain, in addition to connecting designers directly with the spinner, knitters and weavers to source the world’s best commercially available wool fabrics and yarns.
The Wool Lab Vision has been introduced to inspire the fashion, textile and lifestyle industries and show the future of wool – from innovative manufacturing processes which spark imagination to ground-breaking product developments which will change the way the industry works with wool. A forecasting tool, The Wool Lab Vision shines the spotlight on the wool as a luxury, technical and versatile ingredient that is more than a traditional apparel fibre. Knowing no geographical border or cultural boundary, wool’s use extends to fit with lifestyle choices across the world.
“Not everything you see in The Wool Lab Vision is currently commercially available,” explains The Woolmark Company General Manager, Processing Innovation & Education Extension, Julie Davies. “It acts as a tool to showcase what is currently in development, what we are working on within the supply chain and translating visionary concepts in wool.
“The Wool Lab Vision allows brands and manufacturers to showcase the latest yarn technologies, machinery technologies for both product and process, and the diversity and potential of the fibre in apparel and lifestyle products. It also allows for designers to collaborate with Woolmark and work back through the supply chain to innovate with wool and turn their concepts into reality.”
The Wool Lab Vision is in addition to the latest edition of The Wool Lab, dedicated to Spring/Summer 2021 and staying true to its original mission, providing brands and designers with a curated collection of the world’s best commercially available wool fabrics and yarns.
The Wool Lab Vision launches with six inspirational themes to drive new opportunities for wool:
- THE WOOL & THE WATER: A story of a sustainable relationship where human needs meet nature, taking care of both environmental and human survival against the elements. An exploration of all the possible connections that wool has with water in these ongoing developments, including water and wind resistant fabrics.
- WOOLBEING: A natural fibre, wool has a great story to tell, with its eco-credentials propelling the fibre into the health and wellbeing industries. Indeed, science is showing that wool bedding and sleepwear appear to promote a better night’s sleep, and medical studies reveal the wellbeing benefits of superfine Merino wool, particularly for eczema sufferers.
- CRAFT: A focus on hand-made technologies in an era of digital disruption that draws inspiration from authenticity in nature, people and places. A return to craftmanship that is represented by freshness, innovative artisanal spirit and contemporaneity in the hands of the international new makers.
- THE DARING SUIT: A vision that redefines traditional suiting simply by changing the canon of classical beauty in a harmonious mix of different cultural influences. The modern dandy does not have age, gender, ethnicity, nor does he follow the normal rules of dressing the formal dress.
- URBAN HIKING: A metaphor of active walk taken in an urban environment; a meander through the city’s obstacles of life. This vision is experimenting new fabric combinations, stealing details from sports equipment for an enhanced performance and multi-functionality of garments.
- ARCADE: Harking back to the ‘gym of life’ from the ‘80s, Arcade is the antidote against the raging of individualism and social isolation of contemporary times. Materials are designed for a new generation who are more careful than their ancestors and who pay attention to both fashion trends and environmental health.
Viewers of The Wool Lab are once again able to scan the QR code of a swatch and immediately receive an email with the details of the requested swatches with the contact information of the suppliers, strengthening the connection between brands and manufacturers.