AWI’s Wear Wool Not Waste campaign viewed more than 40 million times in first three weeks of campaign
Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)’s powerful Wear Wool, Not Waste campaign has been viewed more than 40 million times since its launch on September 23.
The eye-catching campaign, released by AWI’s subsidiary The Woolmark Company, follows the successful Wear Wool, Not Fossil Fuel campaign, this time framing the fibre as a transformational solution to fashion’s environmental challenges.
Wear Wool, Not Waste is being rolled out in key wool-growing areas across Channel 7 and 9 throughout October. The film was also played to millions of footy fans before, during and after both the AFL and NRL grand finals on 7Regional, 7Metro, 7Plus, 9Regional and 9Now.
Globally, the USA, UK and France will be targeted via cinema, streaming services and social media, as well as billboards and digital screens in high-foot traffic locations across New York, London and Paris. For the fourth time since the 1960s, Woolmark returns to Times Square NYC, illuminating a digital billboard with powerful campaign footage and messaging.
“Our aim is to increase awareness of and consideration for the wool fibre by improving fibre consciousness,” explains AWI CEO John Roberts. “After phase 1 (Wear Wool, Not Fossil Fuel), we did consumer surveys to test the campaign’s impact. 79% of those surveyed said the advertisement “made me think twice about the environmental impact of my clothes”. We also saw a 10-15% increase in consideration for wool across the USA and UK markets. This shows our strategy is working.
Wear Wool, Not Waste comes at a time when legislative changes are being introduced to curb the rise in throwaway fashion culture, which has been driven by cheap, synthetic clothing. AWI continues to invest globally in advocating for the fibre, ensuring wool’s benefits are understood and valued and that the fibre is not disadvantaged in apparel rating schemes.
Our goal is to position Australian wool as a natural solution to fashion’s impact crisis – from the wool-growing farms where the fibre is produced, through the manufacturing supply chain and finally to the end of product life and end-of-life pathways.
This campaign aligns with Woolmark’s broader mission to position wool as a key solution to the fashion industry’s sustainability challenges - a vision encapsulated in the recently launched Woolmark+ Roadmap, a program aimed at driving the industry towards a nature-positive future”.
Find out more about Wear Wool, Not Waste here www.woolmark.com/wear-wool.
The original Wear Wool, Not Fossil Fuel campaign achieved more than 130 million views since it was released in September 2022.
Wool’s Sustainable Offering
One of the campaign’s key messages is about consumer awareness. With 1 in 3 people admitting they rarely check fabric composition when purchasing online , Woolmark aims to educate the public on the unique benefits of wool versus fossil fuel-derived synthetics. Research shows that wool garments are three times more likely to be donated than garments made from other major fibres . This impressive donation rate is further highlighted by the fact that wool, which currently represents about 1% of global virgin fibre supply, has historically achieved a donation rate of 5% . This far exceeds its share in the fibre market, emphasising wools value in advancing a circular economy.
