The Irish Grown Wool Council recently curated three days of Wool Panel Talks at Showcase 2024 for a series on exploring the potential for Irish grown wool. Panellists included national and international businesses, designers and researchers to an audience of domestic and global buyers and stakeholders. Talks took place over each day of Showcase, 21st – 23rd January 2024, (RDS, Dublin) across the key themes of Sustainability, Fashion and Innovation, focusing on the past, present and future for Irish wool.
This opportunity was supported by the Design & Crafts Council, Ireland.
Showcase is Ireland’s premier design and craft trade fair.
Day: Sunday 21st January:
Theme: Sustainability
Wool Chronicles: Heritage & Horizon
Hear a mix of national and international wool related businesses and researchers share their knowledge and experiences of Irish wool’s heritage, present market conditions and where they see the potential for Irish grown wool. Join us as we navigate the sustainability, traceability and viability of Irish grown wool.
Panel:
- Claire McGovern, Creative Director, Rhyme Studio
- Alison Gault, Senior Lecturer, Fashion & Knit, Belfast School of Art, Ulster University
- Fergal Byrne, Organic Farmer & Primary Producer Representative
- Jayne Harkness-Bones, Ulster Wool, Wool Collection, Grading & Trading
- Ngaire Takano, Next Life advisor fashion & products, Wool Circular Scourer
Moderated by Rebecca Marsden,
Designer, Materials Researcher & Educator The Wool Hub and Forge Design Factory
Day: Monday 22nd January:
Theme: Fashion & Interiors
Monday: Wool Yarns; From Ewe to SKU
Join seasoned stalwarts and new entrants working with Irish grown wool across fashion, design and homewares. Listen to their stories entwine as they discuss the possibilities by exploring past glories, present challenges and future commercial opportunities for Irish grown wool.
Panel:
- Chris Weiniger, General Manager, Donegal Yarns
- Carol Feller, Hand Knit Designer, Stolen Stitches Ltd
- Rosy Temple, CEO, Magee
- Alison Gault, Senior Lecturer, Fashion & Knit, Belfast School of Art, Ulster University
- Michael Burke, Sheep Farmer & Creator of Woolow
Moderated by Rebecca Marsden
Designer, Materials Researcher & Educator The Wool Hub and Forge Design Factory
Day: Tuesday 23rd January
Theme: Innovation
Tuesday: Wool Wonders; Different Strands of Innovation
Get a glimpse into the world of wool transformation. Join our panel of national and international designers and researchers as they unravel sustainable supply chains, fashion forward design and advances in the circular bio-economy for product development. Sharing the progress of Irish grown wool from field to new frontiers.
Panel:
- Zoe Daly; Ériu
- Don O’Neil; Don O’Neill Design
- Dr. Tim Yeomans; Centre Manager, Shannon ABC, Biotech Research Focused on Wool Scouring
- Eve Savage; Educational Designer, Ireland’s Knowledge Centre for Carbon, Climate & Community Action (IKC3)
- Ngaire Takano, Next Life advisor fashion & products, Wool Circular Scourer
Moderated by Rebecca Marsden
Designer, Materials Researcher & Educator The Wool Hub and Forge Design Factory
About Irish Grown Wool Council (IGWC)
The Irish Grown Wool Council is a voluntary body with an all island approach. Its purpose is to promote an Irish grown wool brand both domestically and internationally. IGWC is creating, developing and overseeing structures designed to bring disparate groups together for collaboration, innovation and scaling activities to advance the standard and develop markets for Irish grown wool.
IGWC Vision:
- Bringing wool stakeholders across the island of Ireland to realise the potential of wool as a natural, sustainable and versatile material.
- Building on wool’s rich heritage to enhance understanding and appreciation of the characteristics of Irish ‘grown’ wool.
- Facilitating collaboration in product / market research and ultimately applying innovative product solutions to address current challenges and create future opportunities.
IGWC Aims: - Establish an All-Island Irish “Grown” Wool Council to promote the brand
- Collaborate with a Wool Research Innovation Hub for innovation with wool
- Run school and public programmes on the attributes of Irish Grown Wool to address the dearth of data available on Irish Grown Wool
- Develop an Irish Grown Wool standard and ensure traceability from farm to needle regardless of where scoured
- Support regionally based primary producer owned Wool Co-Ops
- Seek contract wool grading and logistics arrangements to facilitate a regionally based wool industry feeding a national promotional, sales and marketing operation
- Encourage Better Awareness and Training on Wool Handling and Presentation. Re-instate traditional wool handling and presentation standards training programmes for primary producers, shearers, merchants and graders
About Design & Crafts Council Ireland
Design & Crafts Council Ireland is the national agency for craft and design in Ireland, we support designers and makers to develop their businesses in a sustainable way, and advocate for the societal benefits of craft and design. 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.
dcci.ie / @dccireland
About Showcase Ireland
Showcase – Ireland’s Creative Expo® is one of the country’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 is for trade attendance only.
showcaseireland.com / @showcase_ireland