The Wool Wire | October 16, 2024
Wool on the speedway, in the sound booth, on the beach, and on the floor, plus legendary lambs in Nevada and locks in South Dakota.
News snippets from the wool world
Hello, my friends!
We begin this week's exploration with a journey to Connecticut, where two businesses are finding common ground through wool.
My knowledge of motor sports could fit inside a thimble, but this story from Stafford Springs, Connecticut, has a wooly tie that piqued my interest. It involves the Stafford Speedway and American Woolen Company—the latter of which has produced a one-of-a-kind white Modified Masters Blazer for the winner of the 100 lap race.
The blazer is made from wool grown in Shaniko, Oregon, woven into fabric at American Woolen Company, and then cut and sewn into the finished blazer in Rochester, New York.
Even if I have little understanding of these races or the importance of a winner's blazer, I love knowing that we can still make fine, tailored woolens in this country.
RaceDayCT Staff Report
Savor the Sweet Silence of Wool
Kazakhstan-based designer Uderbekov Daniyar has developed a thick felted wool screen that can be configured in multiple shapes to provide sound insulation. One side features a crazy paint splatter design reminiscent of Jackson Pollock, while the other has geometric motifs inspired by ancient Eurasian symbols representing fertility, luck, goodness, and home.
It has no hardware or hinges, just biodegradable wool and wood.
I love the idea of being able to step into a tiny wool cubby when the noise of the world gets to be too much.
From Sweaters to Swim Trunks
While swimsuit season is mostly over here in Maine, here's something to file away for next year. Fully traceable, carbon-negative Merino wool sweater brand Sheep Inc. has decided to branch out into the swimwear market with swim shorts.
They're made of New Zealand Merino that's been woven into fabric in Italy and then cut and sewn in Portugal. I will say that, at $250 a pair, they're still far beyond the pale for most consumers. But they're already almost sold out, which suggests that others might see a market here and dive in soon.
FashionNetwork.com WW
It Always Starts with a Sheep or Two...
Let's head to Custer, South Dakota, for a thoroughly charming (and perhaps relatable) profile of a local farm and fiber shop. Busy Ewe Farm and Fiber began after Brenda Anderson learned how to spin.
Naturally, spinning requires fiber, so she decided to add sheep to her small farm. As her flock of Teeswater sheep grew, she found herself with more wool than she needed. Soon, at the encouragement of friends, she turned it into a business. It's a short, feel-good video with some sweet sheep shots to boot.
NZ Gets a Boost from Bremworth
I showed you Woolmark's brilliant new zombie-inspired ad campaign last week. This time, we head to New Zealand, where carpet maker Bremworth is investing $2+ million on a media blitz designed to address misconceptions about wool.
They've hired New Zealand's largest independent media agency to oversee the campaign, and—while it'll be aimed at the New Zealand market—I cannot wait to see what they do.
Ricki Green
Rafter What?
In the world of American sheep and wool, Rafter 7 Merino sheep have near royal status. Just what is Rafter 7, where did these sheep come from, how long has this project been going on, who is behind it, and what makes the sheep so special today?
Emma Lande's well-written backgrounder in Nevada Today answers all these questions.
Emma Lande
On that note, I'll let you go.
Thanks, as always, for your readership and your support.
Until next time,
Clara
