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Join the Irish Grown Wool Council at Showcase Ireland 2026 on Monday 19th January at 3pm for an inspiring panel talk.
This year the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland are shining a spotlight on ‘Making Irish Stories’, so our conversation will feature young Irish designers using locally sourced bio materials to shape sustainable futures.
Showcase Ireland is Ireland’s premier creative trade event
Date: Monday 19th January 2026
Time: 3pm- 3.45pm
Location: Inspiration Stage, RDS Dublin, Showcase Ireland 2026
Grown, Gathered, Made: Rethinking Irish Materials
Join us at Showcase Ireland 2026, at the RDS in Dublin on Monday 19th January 2026 at 3pm for an engaging panel talk that places natural material innovation at the heart of contemporary Irish design. In collaboration with the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland, this year’s Showcase Ireland theme is ‘Making Irish Stories’.
In this conversation, three emerging Irish designers will share how they work with local and natural materials to create sustainable, culturally rooted products that connect with consumers.
Panel:
- Aoife McNamara; the first Irish B Corp fashion brand. Her recently launched collection, ‘What The World Wears’ celebrates Irish grown wool while emphasising traceability and sustainability. Avoiding textile waste is central to her design process and she works closely with Irish suppliers with care and intention.
- Conor O’Brien, whose luxury Irish grown wool knitwear brand puts a twist on traditional Aran knitting. Strictly hand-knit, championing traditional craft, ethical production and transparency. He aims to conserve Ireland’s rich textile heritage by creating clothing that offers dignity to the garment worker with fair pay, dignity to the environment with natural fibres and dignity to the wearer with a unique style that will stand the test of time and reject the fast-fashion industry of today.
- Niamh Ní Catháin; a textile designer and researcher whose work centres on weaving and local fibre systems; including wool, flax and experimental bio-yarns (e.g. mussel shell bio-yarn). She blends craft traditions with forward-thinking material science. Through embodied making and community collaboration, she explores how textiles can reconnect people, place and ecological care.
This panel will be moderated by Alison Gault, Professor of Regenerative Textiles and Fashion at Belfast School of Art and internationally renowned designer. A member of the Irish Grown Wool Council and UK Design Council Expert, her career spans woven and knitted textiles, sustainable material research and leadership in textile innovation.
This panel talk is supported by the Design & Crafts Council, Ireland.
You will need to register to attend Showcase Ireland as a visitor to gain free entry on the day to the talk.
About Irish Grown Wool Council
Irish Grown Wool Council (IGWC) is a voluntary body with an all island approach. Its objective is to transform Irish grown wool; an underutilised and undervalued resource, into a branded value-added product for the benefit of farmers and the wider supply chain. IGWC promotes the use of Irish-grown wool as a sustainable, high-value natural resource and supports innovation across the supply chain. IGWC is working to ensure that wool contributes to rural livelihoods, environmental stewardship and Ireland’s circular economy. IGWC works with farmers, industry, enterprise, education, general public, media, partners, agencies and research providing organisations and policy makers, domestically and internationally. www.irishgrownwoolcouncil.com / LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook
About Showcase Ireland
Showcase – Ireland’s Creative Expo® is one of Ireland’s largest international trade shows. The annual event is attended by thousands of buyers from across the world, including Ireland, the UK, USA, Mainland Europe, Asia, and Africa generating millions of euros of sales orders during the show. Showcase is presented on behalf of Design & Crafts Council Ireland, with support from Enterprise Ireland in promoting the trade show internationally through their network of offices overseas, and the Local Enterprise Offices nationwide. Almost 400 Irish brands are exhibited at the fair, including emerging Irish businesses supported by their Local Enterprise Offices. Showcase Ireland is for trade attendance only.
www.showcaseireland.com / @showcase_ireland
About Design & Crafts Council Ireland
Design & Crafts Council Ireland is the national agency for design and craft in Ireland, they support designers and makers to develop their businesses in a sustainable way, and advocate for the societal benefits of design and craft. DCCI’s activities are funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment via Enterprise Ireland. DCCI currently has 64 member organisations and over 3,500 registered clients.