New sustainability course on the Woolmark Learning Centre

The new free-to-access online course from AWI provides extensive information on wool and sustainability for the textile and fashion industry.

AWI has launched a new sustainability course on its popular online Woolmark Learning Centre that aims to help the textile and fashion industry reduce the environmental impact of its products by using wool.

Developed by industry experts, the self-paced ‘Sustainability and Wool’ course is designed for designers, brands, manufacturers and tertiary students, to support the industry’s move towards less impactful products and business models.

With a focus on the wool fibre and wool industry, the freely available course provides theory and practical examples of circular design, responsible business models and commercial innovations that accelerate sustainable development.

AWI CEO John Roberts says the course is all about helping the textile and fashion industries understand the sustainability benefits of using wool in preference to synthetics and thereby increase demand for the natural fibre.

“At a time when many customers across the world are asking for more sustainable fashion, the answer is clear: wear Australian wool. The more people who understand that wool is natural, biodegradable and sustainable, the more wool will be sold and that helps Australian woolgrowers,” John said.

Throughout the course, users hear insights from industry trailblazers, explore opportunities and solutions for creating products with a more positive legacy, and support consumers to reduce their environmental and social impacts  – all while learning how wool can act as an ideal solution to support these ambitions.

“With 80% of the overall impact of a garment defined by the design stage, this course will equip designers and brands with access to information about how they can use wool to meet sustainable development targets and align to sustainability commitments,” added AWI’s General Manager for Processing Innovation & Education Extension, Julie Davies.

More information: www.woolmarklearningcentre.com

What is the Woolmark Learning Centre?

The Woolmark Learning Centre is an online platform that educates the global textile supply chain about how to use Australian wool, thereby increasing demand for the fibre.

The Woolmark Learning Centre is a web-based hub that houses free world-class educational resources about wool for learners at all levels, including those entering the global textile industry as well as those already in it.

Developed by experts in the textile industry, the digital platform and coursework are structured to facilitate both fundamental and masters-level education. It is also a useful resource for woolgrowers wanting to gain a greater knowledge of what happens to wool post-farmgate.

With there never being a better time to learn online, the Woolmark Learning Centre is proving to be very popular for the many professionals and students all along the textile supply chain who have used the platform since its launch in mid-December 2019:

• 2 million page views
• 13,300 registrations
• 4,100 course completions.

Educating the textile supply chain about wool is a key strategic pillar within AWI’s business.

Free to access, the Woolmark Learning Centre is optimised for use on a smartphone and tablet, as well as a desktop or laptop computer, and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, wherever and whoever you are in the world. The platform allows learners to complete courses specific to their needs, at their own pace.

On completion of a course, as well as having an increased knowledge about wool, users gain their own certification from the internationally recognised Credly digital credential platform, which can be displayed on the user’s own digital professional portfolio such as LinkedIn.

This article appeared in the June 2022 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.