Wool4School inspires and educates students
Wool4School is an annual student competition that offers a complete design experience in the classroom while introducing a new generation of students to the versatility of Australian wool.
Wool4School is an annual design competition that has been run by AWI in Australia since 2011 and has now involved more than 150,000 high school students worldwide.
The competition not only helps the students learn the fundamentals of design, it also gets the budding designers exploring the benefits and versatility of Merino wool fabrics as part of a creative design of their own. Teaching these young designers and consumers about Merino wool will result in them being inclined to choose Australian wool as they progress into adulthood and embark on their careers.
On the back of the success of Wool4School in Australia, AWI also currently runs the student design competition in the key markets of the United Kingdom and Italy.
Each year, Wool4School presents a brief with a new theme to guide the students’ designs and provide them with inspiration.
2025 Wool4School Australia competition is now open
Registrations are now open for the Australian edition of the 2025 Wool4School competition. Students not only have the option of creating a fashion design, they can alternatively create a design for a different application such as accessories or interior design.
For this year’s competition, students are asked to create a design made from at least 70% Merino wool, taking inspiration from the world of botanicals. They are invited to explore the lush diversity of plant life and draw on nature’s artistry to create plant-inspired wool designs: think of prints, embroidery, and decorative crafts and techniques that reflect the intricate beauty of nature.
The competition closes on 17 July 2025, with winners to be announced on 28 August 2025. There are a host of amazing prizes on offer.
- Woolgrowers and parents: Contact your local high school and encourage them to get involved in the Wool4School program. Information for schools and teachers is available at www.wool4school.com
- Year 7-12 students: Learn more about the exciting competition and prizes at www.wool4school.com.
2024 Wool4School Australia competition winners
For the 2024 competition, students were asked to create a design made from wool, taking inspiration from the earth's natural elements: earth, water, fire and air. See the full winning entries at www.wool4school.com. The winners are:
Aspiring designer category (Year 12)
Solomon Raymond, St Columba’s Catholic College, Springwood, NSW
“It’s so amazing to achieve first place. I've been doing this competition for about three years now and I feel like it’s really had a big impact on my life,” Solomon said.
“Each piece of the collection demonstrates wool’s high level of diversity, from footwear to stretch knit top.”
Senior designer category (Year 11)
Lola Refardt, Mount St. Joseph Girls’ College, Altona, Vic
“I was inspired to create tennis outfits after seeing Andy Murray’s Merino tennis set at Wimbledon a couple of years ago,” Lola said.
“Although synthetic fibres are currently dominating the production of athleisure, by using 75% Merino wool in my designs I aimed to highlight the versatility of Merino wool and its potential in the field.”
Mid designer category (Years 9-10)
Penelope Robson, Penrith Anglican College, NSW
“The dress in my design is made out of 100% wool. I chose this fabric in order to increase its comfort as well as the breathability of my design. I also used wool for its flexibility and its soft touch against the skin,” Penelope said.
“My design is made out of Merino wool and the tiniest bit of silk; wool is biodegradable and environmentally friendly.”
Junior designer category (Years 7-8)
Yosefina Martanto, Home School, SA
“I used the high-quality yet sustainable Merino wool blend fabric for the designs, for it is comfortable just as the breeze,” Yosefina said.
“I express my willingness to campaign for the use of more natural fibres for fabric, such as the usage of Merino wool blend fabric – to lead to a better environment, to enhance biodegradable materials and elevate fashion sustainability further.”
This article appeared in the December 2024 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.
