To celebrate 2026 as the Year of the Pastoralist, the Working With Wool: A British Textile Heritage symposium will enable you to hear from today’s experts about the real world opportunities and challenges faced in working sustainably with British wool, and the radical transparency this heritage fibre offers to contemporary designers, product developers, and to value chains.

The UK is home to over 70 different breeds of sheep – more than anywhere else in the world - and wool is deeply entwined in our national culture. Each type of fleece has unique characteristics and technical properties, lends itself to different uses, and offers important creative possibilities as a truly regenerative, versatile fibre that is fully compostable (when used in natural shades or naturally-dyed). Local wool suits today’s growing emphasis on material provenance and makes a vital contribution to bioregional resourcefulness and resilience.

The symposium supports a new project for MA Fashion Design students, BA FD3 students working with wool in their collections, and supports other students studying textiles and materials, but it is likely to be relevant to any students and tutors on our any of our creative programmes, and to those studying or teaching luxury brand management, product development and supply chain management.

The event will be hosted by Istituto Marangoni London,

from 14.00 am to 18.30 pm.

Address: Istituto Marangoni London, 30 Fashion Street,

London E1 6PX