Wool Month: Elevating the wool message

Ulster Wool partners British Wool is celebrating the success of its Wool Month promotional campaign which raised consumer awareness of the benefits and sustainability of wool products.

Through a series of events across October British Wool worked with more brands than ever before hosting press events, launching new products and retail activity to spread the wool message to consumers.

Events with two licensees Woolroom and Harris Tweed, in partnership with the Campaign for Wool targeted the mainstream press and saw celebrity endorsement too.

Graham Clark, Ulster Wool’s Director of Marketing said: “The events attracted a high level of press coverage helping to spread the wool message to a wide range of consumers at a crucial time of year for wool product sales.”

The event with Woolroom was headed up by ex-BBC present Louise Minchin and highlighted the benefits of sleeping under wool for women going through the menopause. “This tied in with October also being Menopause Month. Louise has been very vocal about the issues surrounding menopause and was an ideal high-profile spokesperson,” said Mr Clark.

“For the Harris Tweed event a short film was produced highlighting the community, provenance and transparency aspects of the brand. A press event was held in Covent Garden to officially launch the film also gained widespread coverage.”

British Wool also used Wool Month to launch its ‘What on Earth are your wearing?’ campaign.

“The idea for this came from consumer research we commissioned which explored the buying habits of consumers. The campaign highlights the perils of fast fashion and how British and Northern Ireland wool garments can be one of the solutions to this highly publicised issue.

“The campaign has already secured a high degree of press coverage including articles in The Telegraph and the Daily Star, enabling us to push the wool message to very diverse consumer audience.”

Wool Month also saw the launch of several new products including Slumberdown and Snuggledown (duvets), Crucial Trading, Kingsmead and Brockway (carpets), Navy Grey and the high street retailer Next (jumpers).

“This product development is key as we strive to create new demand for wool produced in Northern Ireland in the consumer arena,” said Mr Clark.

Wool Month is now in its ninth year.