Sportscraft’s new land-to-garment wool campaign

Australian lifestyle brand Sportscraft has partnered with AWI’s marketing arm, The Woolmark Company, to create and launch a 53-piece collection of Australian Merino wool garments that champion the eco-credentials of the fibre.

As we start to prepare for cooler weather Down Under, leading Australian lifestyle brand Sportscraft continues its journey with The Woolmark Company, releasing a new autumn/winter campaign that highlights the natural beauty of Australian Merino wool and the woolgrowers who produce this 100% natural fibre.

The marketing of the new Woolmark-certified collection stars Merino woolgrower Rosie Mitchell, from ‘Kingslea’ near Jugiong, NSW. Rosie is the fifth generation of the family on the land, being the great great granddaughter of Charles Mills of Uardry – so Merinos definitely run through her veins.

In a promotional video for the new collection, Rosie explains why she loves working with Merinos and the benefits of the fibre.

“I’m following in my mother’s footsteps, she’s been doing it for the best part of 80 years and navigating it very successfully, so it’s just a natural progression for me. I love wool farming because it is working in the outdoors, it is working with animals, and it is producing a product that is absolutely incredible and has so much to give,” Rosie said.

“There is nothing else like wool out there that can be so amazing for the environment and has the most amazing eco-credentials. It’s sustainable, it’s natural, and it’s biodegradable. And moving forward, with the way the world’s going, I think we need to start to learn more about buying for longevity and not landfill, and wool is the perfect product for that.”

Woolgrower Rosie Mitchell at the Sportscraft photoshoot: “I’m so proud to be here today on behalf of Australian woolgrowers. It’s exciting to see Sportscraft and Woolmark do magical things together.”

Sportscraft and Woolmark working together

Sportscraft has a deep association with wool, being the first Australian brand to become a Woolmark licensee back in 1964. And today, both Sportscraft and The Woolmark Company share mutual values towards creating a more sustainable future by promoting the quality and eco-credentials of the fibre.

The Sportscraft campaign is titled ‘We believe in Woolmark’ which is an endorsement of not only the Woolmark certification scheme but also Australian woolgrowers, who own the Woolmark logo.

“Our collection celebrates the craftsmanship that goes into every fibre, from land to garment. To earn the prestigious Woolmark endorsement, each of our products underwent a rigorous five-step quality checking process so you know that it’s been designed to last,” explained Sportscraft's Social and Environmental manager Eloise Rapp.

“Woolmark continues to demonstrate a commitment to environmental responsibility and biodiversity protection that we at Sportscraft also share. It’s a natural partnership for us.”

AWI CEO John Roberts says The Woolmark Company is proud to continue its relationship on behalf of Australian woolgrowers with Sportscraft.

“The Sportscraft collection not only highlights wool’s inherent performance and technical benefits, but it also shines the spotlight on the strong environmental story of Australian wool. It’s an initiative that meets the demands of the conscious consumer,” John said.

“AWI invests in sound, scientific solutions to help Australian woolgrowers manage the environment of their wool-growing enterprise, thereby helping to secure wool’s market position as a natural, circular and regenerative solution to some of the challenges created by fast fashion.”

Example of imagery used in the promotion of the new Sportscraft x Woolmark collection.

Marketing the collection

The 53-piece collection showcases the versatility of Merino wool in garments such as classic coats, twill pants and knitwear. In a homage to the Australian landscape, colours such as honey gold, emerald and mountain blue lead collection.

The garments are available to purchase online on the Sportscraft website, in its brick-and-mortar stores across Australia, and also in David Jones stores.

The marketing of the collection included a take-over of the Sportscraft website’s homepage for two weeks, along with story pages that highlight traceability of wool from the farm. Importantly, each page provides customers with a direct link to the online store where the garments can be purchased.

The digital component of the promotion also included a social media campaign and an e-newsletter mailout. Promotional material and displays were also placed in-store and in the windows of Sportscraft and David Jones stores.

More information: www.sportscraft.com.au

This article appeared in the June 2023 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.