Sunday 17 November 2013

Move over Movember!

We have all heard about Movember, the campaigning group that challenges people to grow a moustache during the month of November to raise money for charity.

But I bet you’ve never heard of Wovember? Launched in 2011, this organisation promotes wool, and the importance of this great natural fibre with amazing properties. It is also running a campaign for clearer labelling and descriptions of garments.

Wovember is about showing a collective appreciation of wool by wearing as much of this fabulous fibre as possible, and by celebrating its unique qualities in stories and pictures which appear on its website throughout the month of November.

Instigated by Drs Kate Davies and Felicity Ford in response to their frustrations at the misuse of the words ‘wool’ and ‘woollen’ in garment descriptions, Wovember aims to reinstate the true value of those terms by linking them with the animals and people who produce and process wool.

The woolly thinking campaigners, Kate Davies, Felicity Ford and Tom van Deijnen say: “Through our enthusiasm and creativity we can raise awareness of what makes wool different, and jointly create a force for wool appreciation strong enough to effect changes in how garments and textiles are described and marketed.”

“By describing fabrics and garments as wool that contain little or no wool at all, the fashion industry has increased consumer ignorance, profiting from the prestige of wool, while damaging actual wool and the livelihoods of those who raise, produce and process it.

The Wovember team add: “By reconnecting the words wolly, woollen and wool with the noble animals from which that peerless fibre comes, it is hoped that we will be able to end the widespread abuse of these terms in the fashion industry, and their misapplication to garments which bear no connection to actual sheep,”

Wovember believe that the fashion trade needs to recognising that wool is a premium textile and that the terms wool, woolly and woollen should only be applied to real wool garments and not, for instance, to those made using polyester or viscose.

To support Wovember why not endeavour to wear as much wool as possible throughout the month, and tell everyone about the unique qualities of wool? Or sign the Wovember petition on the website to support changes to textile trading standards and product descriptions.

You could also send in stories about sheep, wool, knitting, weaving or other endeavours which celebrate wool in all its sheepy glory or enter the Wovember competition by sending in a 100% wool photograph for the Wovember gallery.

Meanwhile, the two groups have surprisingly found a way to link their campaigns, thanks to Blacker Yarns and Designs, based in Launceston, Cornwall.

The company, which promotes and sells yarns from rare breed sheep, is hoping that those who cannot grow a sufficiently impressive moustache themselves will consider knitting or crocheting one, and wearing it for a photograph to post on the Blacker Yarns and Designs Facebook page or on theor Twitter feed @blackeryarns .

Points will be awarded for the best woolly ‘tash and Blacker Designs will also make a charitable donation to Movember per moustache photo posted. What a brilliant idea!

Sadly I already have a grizzled old beard, so can’t really contribute, although I guess I could sport a Beardo, a wonderful combination of knitted hat and ‘beard’ - the brainchild of Jeff Phillips, a Canadian-born gent with a passion for snowboarding.

Jeff came up with the first makeshift Beardo in Whistler, British. His very first prototype was made using an old knit scarf, but the design has been since refined.

However ‘refined’ may not be the first word that comes to mind when you first see one of these creations. More like ‘WTF!’

www. wovember.com

www.blackeryarns.co.uk

www.beardo.co.uk


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