Woolmark unveils Merino Wool Classroom for new designers

The Woolmark Company, a global authority on merino wool, has launched a new programme aimed to inspire, connect, and educate the next generation of the fashion industry.

The inaugural forum which was held in partnership with the China Graduate Fashion Week, on the theme ‘Merino Wool -From Farm to Runway’, invited students from 33 institutes, designers, and directors of design schools.

The Woolmark Company will fund three winners of the China Graduate Fashion Week to visit the International Woolmark Prize Asia regional final in Hong Kong and its Wool Resource Centre as part of the programme.

The students’ sponsorship will provide one week worth of training in the versatility of Merino wool, as well as educational and professional meetings with industry experts to help the young designers take their skills and visions to the next level.

“Through the China Graduate Fashion Week platform we hope to provide support and opportunities for local fashion students to grow and refine their skills,” said Jeff Ma, vice president, marketing, The Woolmark Company, Greater China. 

Guo Ruiping, director, direction of knitting fashion design at Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, said, “Merino wool fibres have unlimited potential. They are inextricably linked to design. I encourage aspiring designers to really grasp the properties and beauty of these materials, and create works that can highlight their uniqueness.”